Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/1182394
t m c » p u l s e | n o v e m b e r 2 0 1 9 18 B y A l e x a n d r a B e c k e r HIGH CHOLESTEROL: AN ANCIENT PROBLEM C logged arteries didn't originate in the era of fast food, after all. Using a special technique to examine mummies, a new study reveals that our ancient ancestors suffered from unhealthy levels of cholesterol—levels similar to those of modern humans. "We were wondering if [high cholesterol] is a disease of the modern age or not. I've had that question since medical school," said Mohammad Madjid, M.D., lead author of the study that appeared in the American Heart Journal in October. "We know ath- erosclerosis starts very early, from the teen years or even earlier. By the age of 18, 20, many people will form plaques in their arteries. We have seen this in our modern-day studies. But then we look at our ancient ancestors and my study found that, actually, the majority of adults at that time had very similar amounts of cholesterol in their arteries." Madjid and his team used a technique called near-infrared spec- troscopy to examine arterial tissue from preserved corpses. The samples came from five individuals who lived between 2000 B.C. and, approximately, 1000 A.D. The three men and two women ranged in age from 18 to 60. Four lived in South America and the fifth resided in the Middle East. In the past, researchers have used computerized tomography (CT) scans to study the hearts and arteries of ancient remains, but this is the first time a team has employed near-infrared spectroscopy to exam- ine mummies. Madjid, an assistant professor of cardiovascular medicine with McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), noted that while CT scans can show calcifi- cation of arteries, they cannot detect levels of cholesterol. Near-infrared spectroscopy can. The technique, he explained, uses a catheter to send signals to the mummified tissue, which returns unique molecular signatures that indicate the presence of different components inside the arteries. "Every component, like water, fat, cholesterol or bone—they each have different molecular signatures, like a fingerprint," said Madjid, who is also affiliated with UT Physicians and the Memorial Hermann Heart & Vascular Institute - Texas Medical Center. "The technique is widely used in medi- cine and industry and we know how cholesterol looks. … [The technique] is non-destructive and non-damaging to the tissues, which is very important if you want to work with mummies." High cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries, which causes atherosclerosis or narrowing of the arteries. When arteries become too narrow, they can block oxygen and cause a heart attack. The presence of cholesterol-rich plaque is one of the first markers of blocked arteries, which is why detecting levels of cholesterol— rather than relying on the presence of calcification—is so revolutionary when it comes to studying ancient corpses. "You'll find calcification in the arteries in some mummies, but calcifi- cation is a sign of older-aged plaques," Madjid said. "Cholesterol-rich plaques can happen very early." This revelation about ancient corpses doesn't mean people today should ignore a healthy diet and lifestyle thinking atherosclerosis is inevitable, the cardiologist said. New study finds plaque in the arteries of mummified corpses Middle: Mohammad Madjid, M.D., holds an arterial tissue sample from an ancient mummy. Right: Madjid, assistant professor of cardiovas- cular medicine with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, poses beside a preserved corpse at the Houston Museum of Natural Science's Hall of Ancient Egypt.