The brains of deceased military veterans had higher levels of two abnormal proteins considered hallmarks of Alzheimers disease, suggesting that military veterans face a greater risk for developing Alzheimers, according to a new study from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

The study was recently published in Alzheimers & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimers Association led byRyan Powell, PhD, MA, assistant professor of medicine, UW School of Medicine and Public Health.

Emily Greendonner 608-516-9154 egreendonner@uwhealth.org

The study found that military veterans who had donated their brains to Alzheimers disease research centers had 26% greater odds of having amyloid plaques in their brains than nonveterans and 10% greater odds of having neurofibrillary tangles made of abnormal tau proteins, according to Powell. The findings, as well as prior research showing higher frequency of Alzheimers disease risk factors among veterans, support a rationale for greater support in disease prevention and treatment interventions for this population.

To our knowledge, this is the first study to link a history of military service to Alzheimers disease neuropathology, the gold standard for diagnosing Alzheimers, said Powell, who is data science director of the UW Center for Health Disparities Research. This has important implications for the Veterans Health Administration since it indicates an urgent need to screen veterans and to target therapies to those at greatest risk.

Powell and his research collaborators looked at brain biopsy data from 597 males who died between 1986 and 2018 and donated their brains to Alzheimers disease research centers at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and the University of California San Diego.

Genealogical archivists used genealogy databases, census and military records to determine that about 60% of the males had served in the military most likely during World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War eras. The rate of military service was consistent between those who donated brains in San Diego and in Madison, Powell said.

The group of 358 male veterans had higher levels of both amyloid plaques and tau tangles in their brains, both biomarkers of Alzheimers disease. Researching female veteran risk is a key next step but researchers were unable to conduct this analysis given the small number of them represented in the current study, Powell said.

This study is shining new light on data thats been collected over decades some donations date all the way back to the mid-1980s so the donations of these veterans are still yielding valuable new insights after all these years, he said. We identified the who and the what in this study, but we need to narrow in on the why and the when.

Veterans are exposed to many known risks for brain disorders, including chronic stress from physical and psychological pain, physical trauma including traumatic brain injuries and environmental hazards such as Agent Orange, a tactical defoliating agent used in Vietnam. In addition, veterans have higher rates of cardiovascular disease, depression and PTSD, all of which are known risk factors for dementia, Powell said.

Exposures during military service and differences in life both before and after service likely all contribute to the brain disease, he explained. Researchers hope to expand the study to other brain banks to gain a deeper understanding and include younger generations of veterans to unlock the root causes of these brain changes in veterans, he said.

We might be able to uncover other factors and learn where risks can be reduced, Powell said. And with new Alzheimers therapies coming online, theres a need for scientific-based health equity policies to get them to those who might benefit most. Its exciting that this ongoing line of research can inform policy changes that improve the health of veterans.

The study was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health - National Institute on Aging (grants R21AG079277, R01AG070883, P30AG062715, R01AG079303, and P30AG066530).

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UW study links past military service to Alzheimer's disease - University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health