Photo credit: Nicolas LoranThe research group collaborates with various units at the Vrinnevi Hospital in Norrköping, Sweden (e.g., psychiatry and medical clinic). For several years the research group has also collaborated with the Vikbolandet healthcare centre. Another collaboration partner in Alzheimer’s research includes Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge (Professor B. Winblad). Additionally, there is an academic collaboration with the Pain Clinic in Linköping (professor B. Gerlde).
At Vikbolandet, the research group follows people with hypertension over a long period (10 years). They examine the function of thrombocytes and how the inflammatory response predicts long-term survival.
At Vrinnervi Hospital, they are studying individuals with bipolar disorder, which is viewed as being a risk factor for arteriosclerosis. Research is being conducted on thrombocytes and inflammation predicting the number of relapses in the disorder, the response to the administered medication and long-term survival.
The Medical Clinic in Norrköping examines individuals who have had strokes. Physical exercise is studied to see if it improves the functional capacity amongst individuals who have had severe strokes. There is also a study examining whether exercise affects thrombocytes, inflammation and the risk for the development of blood clots.
In several articles from the Vrinnevi Hospital, the research group has published a number of potential bio-markers that can differentiate Alzheimer’s from different forms of dementia (10, 11, 13, 14). Studies of the new bio-markers continue at Karolinska Institutet. They want to see if they can forecast how quickly the memory deteriorates and if they can predict which people with “mild cognitive impairment” who go on to develop Alzheimer’s.
Micha Milovanovic studies thrombocytes and the inflammatory response in Fibromyalgia. The preliminary results are promising and the condition is associated with significant changes to thrombocytes. Currently there are no bio-markers for Fibromyalgia. Eventually the research group will examine if the changes to the thrombocytes they have identified in Fibromyalgia can be used for diagnosis.
Thrombocytes
Thrombocytes play an important part in haemostasis – the body’s ability to stop bleeding. When blood vessels are injured, collagen builds up. The Von Willebrand factor (vWf) then binds to the collagen and via the glycoprotein Ib receptor, thrombocytes bind to vWf. And so the thrombocytes attach to the damaged endothelium. The cell is then activated and the thrombocyte’s glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptors bind the fibrinogen. Many thrombocytes bind to the same fibrinogen molecule and each thrombocyte binds many fibrinogen molecules and the cells react. As a result, a plug of thrombocytes is formed which primarily stops the bleeding.