We aimed to examine the association between blood levels of Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) - specifically isoleucine, leucine, and valine - and the susceptibility to three neurodegenerative disorders: dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Based on data from the UK Biobank, a Cox proportional hazard regression model and a dose–response relationship were used to analyze the association between BCAAs and the risks of dementia, AD, and PD. We also generated a healthy lifestyle score and a polygenic risk score. Besides, we conducted a sensitivity analysis to ensure the robustness of our findings.
After adjusting for multiple covariates, blood concentrations of isoleucine, leucine, and valine were significantly associated with a reduced risk of dementia and AD. This association remained robust even in sensitivity analyses. Similarly, higher levels of isoleucine and leucine in the blood were found to be associated with an increased risk of PD, but this positive correlation could potentially be explained by the presence of covariates. Further analysis using a dose–response approach revealed that a blood leucine concentration of 2.14 mmol/L was associated with the lowest risk of dementia.
BCAAs have the potential to serve as a biomarker for dementia and AD. However, the specific mechanism through which BCAAs are linked to the development of dementia, AD, and PD remains unclear and necessitates additional investigation.