TRACK-D-CAA – A hereditary condition
Tracking the Natural History of Dutch-type Hereditary Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (TRACK D-CAA) study commenced in mid-2022 aiming to recruit 50 individuals from families with a known inheritable, genetic mutation.
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a very common cause of memory issues in the elderly. It results from a build-up of protein clumps called amyloid deposits in blood vessels in the brain, causing vascular disease (angiopathy).
Although the large majority of CAA cases occur at random in the elderly population, there is a rare hereditary form of the disease that develops in mid-adulthood, and the condition is usually fatal in the patient’s 60s. There are many different types of CAA, which are named after the regions where they were first diagnosed. The Dutch type of hereditary CAA is the most common form, and other types include Flemish, Italian and Icelandic.
The impact
Findings will increase the understanding of the interlay between neurodegenerative and vascular diseases, which has the potential to lead to improvements in the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.
