Women diagnosed with osteoporosis may have a higher chance of carrying a gene linked to Alzheimer's disease, according to a new scientific study.
Researchers have found that APOE4 – the most common genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's – can weaken bone quality in women, even when standard tests show normal results.
The study, conducted by researchers at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in California and the University of California, San Francisco, suggests that this gene can damage bone structure at a microscopic level, long before visible signs appear.
These changes can begin in middle age and not be detected by routine tests used to assess bone strength.
The results, published in the journal Advanced Science, show a possible link between Alzheimer's risk and skeletal health, paving the way for earlier detection of both conditions.
Doctors have long noticed that people with Alzheimer's have a higher risk of bone fractures, and osteoporosis in women is considered an early indicator of the disease. Now, scientists believe they may have discovered why this happens.
In the study, the team led by Dr. Charles Schurman analyzed proteins in the bones of aged mice and found that the tissues were rich in molecules linked to neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's.
Notably, long-lived bone cells, called osteocytes, exhibited high levels of the APOE protein – twice as high in older female mice compared to younger or male mice.
Further experiments with genetically modified mice showed that APOE4 has a strong and sex-specific effect on both bone and brain. The protein-level interference was even more pronounced in bone than in brain.
However, the bone structure appeared completely normal on scans. The problem lay at a cellular level: the gene was blocking a key maintenance process inside bone cells, preventing them from repairing the microchannels that keep bones strong and flexible. When this process fails, the bones become more brittle – even though they appear healthy on the outside.
"The special thing about this discovery is that bone quality is damaged at a molecular level that standard analyses cannot capture," said Professor Birgit Schilling. "APOE4 is silently damaging the very cells that keep bones strong – and this is particularly true in women, just like the risk of Alzheimer's."
These results suggest that bone cells may serve as early biological signals for cognitive decline in women who carry this gene. According to Professor Lisa Ellerby, intervening in these cells could open up new avenues for preserving bone health in this group.
Experts emphasize that these findings underscore the need to view the body as an interconnected system, rather than treating diseases in isolation.
Dementia – of which Alzheimer's is the most common form – remains one of the greatest health challenges. Currently, around 900,000 people live with the condition, and this number is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades. As there is still no cure, early detection and prevention remain essential. /GazetaExpress/
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