Study decodes why sickle cell patients suffer cognitive problems

New Delhi, Jan 18 (IANS) An ageing brain in people with sickle cell disease may be responsible for cognitive problems, finds a study.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder characterised by the presence of abnormal haemoglobin (Hb).

People with the illness are also likely to face trouble in remembering, focusing, learning, and problem-solving.

The patients face these conditions even without brain stroke. To understand, researchers and physicians from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis examined more than 200 young adults with and without sickle cell disease.

They participated in brain MRI scans and cognitive tests. Each person's brain age was calculated using a brain-age prediction tool that was developed using MRI brain scans from a diverse group of more than 14,000 healthy people of known ages.

The estimated brain age was compared with the individual's actual age. The results, published in JAMA Network Open, showed that participants with sickle cell disease had brains that appeared an average of 14 years older than their actual age.

Sickle cell participants with older-looking brains also scored lower on cognitive tests.

Further, the study showed that people experiencing economic deprivation, who struggle to meet basic needs, even in the absence of sickle cell disease, also had more-aged-appearing brains, the team said.

On average, a seven-year gap was found between the brain age and the participants' actual age in healthy individuals experiencing poverty.

“Sickle cell disease is congenital, chronically depriving the developing brain of oxygen and possibly affecting its growth from birth. Also, children exposed to long-term economic deprivation and poverty experience cognitive challenges that affect their academic performance,” explained Andria Ford, Professor of neurology at Washington University Medicine.

The study calls for understanding the influence that sickle cell disease and economic deprivation have on brain structure. This may lead to treatments and preventive measures that potentially could preserve cognitive function.

The team also noted that a single MRI scan can be a powerful tool for helping patients with neurological conditions.