Background
Evidences prove that individuals with Type‐2 insulin resistant diabetes have a two‐three folder greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The abnormal glucose metabolism leads to the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) a hallmark of diabetes and AD. ROS‐induced lipid peroxidation can lead to neuronal damage and cell death and is thought to be a contributing factor to disease progression in AD.
Method
Recently, we introduced an array of electrochemical gas sensor to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) biomarkers in the exhaled breath. The sensors were later tested with a rat model that combined the human ApoE4 gene with aging and the Western diet. Gas sensors fabricated from molecularly imprinted polymer‐graphene were engineered to react with alkanes and small fatty acids (butylated hydroxytoluene, pivalic acid and, 2,3 dimethyl heptane) associated with lipid peroxidation. With a detection sensitivity in parts per trillion, the sensors were sensitive against the breath of wild‐type and APOE4 male rats with 100% sensitivity, specificity and, accuracy. The results were matching with the resting state BOLD functional connectivity which is used to assess hippocampal function.
Result
The present study was designed to test the Alzheimer’s sensor on diabetic rats. Since diabetes and AD share the same vascular problem, the question was that whether they share the same biomarkers as well or not. So, six rats with diabetic symptoms were tested with AD sensors and the result was negative. None of the sensors was sensitive to the breath of diabetic rats.
Conclusion
This result is confirming that the sensors are detecting biomarkers that are only specific to Alzheimer's disease, not to a very similar disease such as diabetes.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease, which affects millions of people worldwide. Curing this disease has not gained much success so far. Exhaled breath gas analysis offers an inexpensive, noninvasive, and immediate method for detecting a large number of diseases, including AD. In this paper, a new method is proposed to detect butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in the air, which is one of the chemicals found in the breath print of AD patients. A three-layer sensor was formed through deposition of a thin layer of graphene onto a glassy carbon substrate. Selective binding of the analyte was facilitated by electrochemically initiated polymerization of a solution containing the desired target molecule. Subsequent polymerization and removal of the analyte yielded a layer of polypyrrole, a conductive polymer, on top of the sensor containing molecularly imprinted cavities selective for the target molecule. Two sets of sensors have been developed. First, the graphene sensor has been fabricated with a layer of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and tested over 5–100 part per million (ppm). For the second batch, Prussian blue was added to graphene before polymerization, mainly for enhancing the electrochemical properties. The sensor was tested over 0.02-1 parts per billion (ppb) level of concentration while the sensor resistance has been monitored.
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