A recent study in Sweden shows that it does not take as long for plaque to form in a person’s arteries, at least not compared to previous suspicions. For most people, plaque formation only takes a short period of time, and it is most likely to happen later on in life. The research in this study was done through the Karolinska Institute, where researchers examined samples of plaque from people who had to go through surgery to remove some of the plaque buildup in their neck arteries. Their data has shown some significant results for the future of artery studies.
Most of the researchers that took part in the study assumed that plaque would be younger than the patients, but they were surprised to find out just how much younger the plaque was. The average age of the participants in the study was 68, but the average age of the plaque that came from their bodies was less than 10 years. In fact, most of the plaque formation for the people in the study was between three and five years of age. This shows that the plaque buildup took very little time to complete, much longer than what scientists may have assumed in the past.
The variation in the age of the plaque was not high, which further validates the truth in the conclusions of this research. The study led to some other discoveries about the development of plaque in arteries. Researchers found that plaque levels were associated with insulin levels in the body. People with high insulin levels seemingly showed lower plaque age, which indicate that insulin speeds up the development of plaque in the body. Researchers also said that this was related to their findings with plaque and gene activity. Younger sets of plaque were typically associated with higher gene activity levels in relation to oxidative phosphorylation and immune responses.
The study also concluded that younger plaque is more unstable than older plaque, and thus it is more likely to be a cause of medical conditions, like a stroke. This could help scientists come up with more specialized treatments in the future. Before that happens though, the study needs to be expanded to a broader group of people that are studied in larger facilities. This will lead to the best conclusions possible.
Even though this study is in its infancy, it still shows some tale tell signs about plaque development in the arteries. The researchers are hoping to have more studies in the near future so they can use the data for treatments and prevention matters. Over time, they should be able to find all the data they need about plaque formation in arteries.
