For men looking to avoid prostate cancer, another risk might be involved. An analysis of electronic medical records was recently published and it explains a problem for men who take drugs to prevent prostate cancer. That new problem is the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
PROSTATE DRUGS COULD GIVE YOU ALZHEIMER’S
The study that was recorded stated that the men who take prostate drugs will double their chance of damaging their brain via Alzheimer’s. The study explained that the drugs that men take to prevent this cancer reduce their hormones and testosterone levels. The problem is that they say that doing this can link you to a higher risk of brain loss. They also stated that the men who take these drugs, survival rate does not increase. So, is there a point to take these drugs if they do not improve your survival percentage and give you a higher risk of Alzheimer’s?
PROSTATE DRUG USERS
Even though there is this huge risk, the study shown shows that many men are still active with prostate drugs. The study showed that over half a million men in the Unites States are still taking these drugs. Some experts involved in the study mention how this might be because some men know they will not be able to get surgery for it. This leads them to take it to try and do all they can to prevent this cancer. However, Alzheimer’s is no joke and is a disease you do not want to higher your risk for.
WHAT IS WORSE THAN, PROSTATE CANCER OR ALZHEIMER’S?
Both of these are awful epidemics. Maybe the only plus to prostate cancer is the fact that it can be cured, but Alzheimer’s, on the other hand, can not. As of now, there are no cures to it. No matter what, though, both of these are terrible and would be best to never experience.
Obesity has previously been associated with an increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease; now, a new study points out that you could also develop the disease sooner if you’re overweight.
Researchers looked at midlife risk factors that could set off Alzheimer’s
The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry addressed the effect midlife obesity had on the onset as well as the severity of Alzheimer’s disease. The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, a population-based cohort was used in this long-term study. Data was obtained for 1394 cognitively normal individuals, who were followed up roughly every 14 years. The basal metabolic rate (BMI) at the age 50 was used as a marker of midlife obesity. Participant brains were scanned for the presence and extent of tangled protein or plaques, which are like the cellular signatures of a brain with Alzheimer’s disease.
Midlife obesity associated with early Alzheimer’s onset
142 of the total number of participants developed Alzheimer’s during the span of the study. The researchers found that for every unit increase in midlife BMI, the onset of Alzheimer’s was 6.7 months earlier. They compared autopsy brain samples and brain imaging samples from non-demented participants, and found that participants with higher than normal midlife BMI had worse neuropathology. This means that higher BMI is associated with more protein tangles, which indicate worse disease outcomes.
Controlling midlife obesity could stave off Alzheimer’s
Although the study did not establish that midlife obesity causes Alzheimer’s disease, the strong correlation points to the possibility of delaying the onset of this debilitating disorder by maintaining a healthy body weight. It is believed that risk factors like high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes that are often coexistent with obesity could, as a combination, raise the risk for Alzheimer’s. While the mechanism for the observed effect isn’t clear, the researchers speculate that obesity puts the brain at a higher risk of inflammation and thereby a higher risk for developing the neurodegenerative condition. Alzheimer’s disease exacts tremendous amount of societal as well as economic resources; it is slated to become a trillion dollar disease by 2050. Therefore, lifestyle changes that could delay the illness would drastically relieve the economical burden and improve the disease-free quality of life for the older population.
According to the 2015 World Alzheimer Report, the estimated cost of dementia worldwide is $118 billion dollars today. This can be better understood by a market analogy: If dementia were a country, it would hold the world’s 18th largest economy and its value would rival companies like Google ($368 billion) and Apple ($742 billion).
The report analyzed the prevalence, costs and trends of dementia
Published by the Alzheimer’s Disease International, the report was independently researched by King’s College of London and supported by Bupa. According to the report 46.8 million people are living with dementia worldwide, a number that could nearly triple (131.5 million) by 2050. Dementia is an umbrella term given for progressive neurodegenerative disorders that affect memory, thinking, behavior and emotion. The most common forms of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Pick’s disease. It is estimated that 94% of the dementia population lives in low- and middle-income countries with lack of access to support systems.
Dementia has a staggering impact on the world population
The incidence of dementia is increasing every year: in fact, every 3 seconds, a new case of dementia shows up in the world. With the increasing proportion of aging population, this number is not expected to decline in the future. This and the overall increase in the life expectancy have made management of chronic illnesses like dementia untenable. Dementia has the highest impact on the quality of life of the people with the disease and their families. It requires intense and consistent care not often required by other diseases. The health and social costs of caring for dementia patients exceeds that of cancer, heart disease, and stroke combined.
What can be done to manage dementia better?
The report calls for the governments and the World Health Organization to implement a national dementia plan aimed at awareness measures and better diagnosis, preventive care, and treatment facilities. It also recommends increased research efforts with an emphasis on risk reduction. Moreover, more community-level efforts will eradicate the stigma associated with the disease and inculcate good nutrition and exercise habits to stave off the disease.
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The cause of one of the widespread health issues all over the world, Alzheimer’s disease still remains unsure to this day. It is calculated that at present, 44 million people have Alzheimer’s worldwide, making the need of a cure more and more urgent.
The idea of living a life without being able to remember anything from the past and the present seems hopeless, but, actually, that’s what Alzheimer’s patients deal with everyday, often not even recognising their own children. On a brighter note, A new study, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, may be the key to uncover the disease.
LIFESTYLE INFLUENCING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
The team of scientists studied, identified and analyzed the factors from 323 surveys that had been conducted in the past, from 1968 to 2014. What the study showed was that Alzheimer’s may be prevented by a healthy lifestyle.
Low education, obesity, depression, high blood pressure, frailty, high levels of certain amino acids, low education and a narrowing of the carotid artery in the neck, are some of the most common factors reported among two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients. In addition, Alzheimer’s disease was found to be associated with diabetes and smoking among Asians but the findings are insufficient, although there is a clear correlation with one another.
On the contrary, protective effects against Alzheimer’s seem to have four medical exposures — statin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antihypertensives and estrogen — along with folate, vitamins E and C, and coffee. Also, patients that suffer from heart disease, metabolic syndrome, cancer, and arthritis were associated with a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
Dr. Jin-Tai Yu, associate specialist in neurology at the University of California and senior editor of the study, notes that this research can prove important to people “if they correctly address the potentially modifiable risk factors that might help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.”
THE NUMBERS ARE POSITIVE
Another study published in The Lancet Neurology Journals unveils that dementia rates have been stabilizing in Europe with healthy lifestyle and regular exercise playing important parts. However, scientists are pointing out that mental diseases still remain an issue, especially since the costs involved in taking care of sufferers are extremely high and those afflicted have little chance of recovery.
Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of Britain’s Alzheimer’s Society says that the study shows that the percentage of people in particular age groups developing dementia is getting smaller but the overall number of patients will increase as more people live into their 80s and 90s.
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Sleeping on your side may be the best position to prevent neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, according to a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Sleeping on Your Side May Prevent Alzheimer’s, Study Says
The lateral sleeping position, or “side sleeping” as we commonly refer to it, has been suggested as the best sleeping position to ward off Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other dementias.
Researchers from Stony Brook University have published a new study that shows the relationship between sleep and the brain’s ability to remove waste. Using their research, they have concluded that certain sleep positions, such as sleeping on your side, are more effective at ridding the brain of waste than others, including sleeping on the back or stomach.
Sleeping well may help prevent dementia, but sleep position is important as well
As more studies prove the beneficial effects of sleep for brain health, research has shown a link between sleep habits and dementia. Recent studies have suggested that the brain is more effective in removing waste during periods of sleep rather than wakefulness.
The ability to remove waste products like amyloid beta and tau proteins from the brain more efficiently may reduce the chances of developing several different neurodegenerative diseases, including forms of dementia.
Helene Benveniste and Stony Brook University researchers set out to understand the process of removing waste during sleep by focusing on the glymphatic system. This is the pathway that filters cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to exchange with interstitial fluid (ISF) in order to clear out waste.
In other words, it’s the system that removes harmful, toxic substances that disturb normal, healthy cells.
Sleeping on your Side Improves Glymphatic System Efficiency
Using dynamic contrast MRI and computer modeling, the researchers were able to observe the exchange between CSF and ISF in rodents as they lay anesthetized in three positions: side, stomach, and back.
The results were consistent, showing that side sleeping was the best position for the glymphatic system to properly work. Interestingly, the researchers noted that side sleeping is the most popular sleep position–whether studying animals or humans. However, the team also said that the results needed to be repeated with humans to conclusively prove the connection between CSF-ISF exchange in humans dependent on sleeping position.
Though the study has yet to be proven in humans, you may want to consider switching to the sleeping on your side in the future if the results are repeated in human trials. Why not try to curb your chances of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia?
Credit for Additional Photo to Flickr user Timothy Krause.
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According to research, the third most popular drink in the world could put you at risk for some unsavory effects. Researchers found that moderate levels of caffeine could protect the protect the brain from rogue proteins that can destroy neurons leading to memory loss. However, a new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease made headlines on Thursday. The study said that if coffee consumption is changed over time, even in the slightest way, it could potentially harm someone’s memory and thinking skills under certain circumstances.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT INCREASED COFFEE CONSUMPTION OVER TIME ISNT GOOD
Italian Researchers at the University of Bari Aldo Moro charted the coffee consumption and neurological health of over 1,400 Italians from the ages of 65 and 84 over the course of three years. They found that those who drank an average of two cups of coffee per day were less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI) than those who don’t drink coffee. The research also showed that if the subject increased their coffee consumption throughout their life, they also had a change of experiencing some mild cognitive impairment that was around one and a half times higher in comparison to those who kept their coffee consumption steady throughout their life.
A LARGER SCALE STUDY SHOWED THAT MEN WHO DRINK COFFEE CAN LIVE 10 PERCENT LONGER
A larger scale study that involved over 400,000 older adults showed that men who drink two cups of coffee a day lived around 10 percent longer than their peers who didn’t drink coffee. The biggest question is, what kind of effect does coffee have on the brain? Researchers show that having two or more cups of coffee, or never drinking coffee can put you at risk for developing the conditions that cause early memory loss that can sometimes lead to Alzheimer’s.
MODERATE AND REGULAR COFFEE CONSUMPTION IS A GOOD THING
Moderate and regular coffee consumption might have neuroprotective effects that fight against mild cognitive impairments. The research also shows that the studies previously done showing that there could be a long term benefit to drinking coffee, tea or other forms of caffeine give drinkers protection from cognitive decline due to the plasma levels that coffee provides.
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In the aftermath of the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly’s announcement that their drug Solanezumab may actually inhibit memory loss in people with Alzheimer’s, several authoritative scientists called for more testing, and it seems that there may be contention on what constitutes an effectual test population.
WAIT, WHAT WAS WRONG WITH SOLANEZUMAB?
Researchers have widely acknowledged the benefits of Solanezumab, since it is literally the first drug to have proved to actually slow the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on the brain. Many other scientists, however, contest these findings, claiming that Solanezumab was only tested on individuals who had already manifested symptoms of Alzheimer’s and therefore have already shown decreased brain function. Currently, scientists are trying to get Eli Lilly to come up with a way to develop the drug such that it helps those already predisposed to the disease.
“Reliable and relatively inexpensive disease predictive markers are urgently needed, whether these be blood, imaging or psychologically based to see whether they really do what it says on the label,” remarked Professor Mann of Manchester University.
STATUS OF ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH
Meanwhile, the director of research for Alzheimer’s Research UK added that current diagnostic measure used to detect the disease must be improved, because “25% of diagnoses by doctors of early-stage Alzheimer’s are incorrect…Obviously that figure has to improve. Indeed, we have to develop tests that will allow us to make accurate diagnoses at even earlier stages of the disease, before there has been a loss of brain function.”
Despite researchers’ not knowing how the diagnosis method can be improved, Karran suggested that new imaging techniques will probably give the greatest boon to the detection of early-stage Alzheimer’s. “However, these techniques are currently expensive–costs can reach £1,000 to £2,000 a scan,” Kurran warned. “On top of that, we still do not know how much the pharmaceuticals companies (sic) are going to charge for their anti-dementia drugs once we have learned how to pinpoint those who should receive them.”
HOW SOLANEZUMAB WORKS
Solanezumab binds “to specific, single molecules (called abeta) that aggregate to form amyloid in the brain,” and there it reacts in a way such that the disease’s symptoms, like disorientation, confusion and memory loss are delayed. “That may explain its ability to slow the disease in mid cases. In addition, there may be a natural loss of these small abeta molecules from amyloid plaques that would also be part of its therapeutic benefit,” opined Karran.
Many people, scientist, elderly, and both, are hopeful that future drugs will improve upon Solanezumab’s already impressive ability to combat the effects of Alzheimer’s.
“From a scientific perspective, this study is exciting because it further validates the amyloid hypothesis …and will therefore guide scientists working on more effective disease–modifying therapeutics,” concluded Dr. Tara Spires-Jones of Edinburgh University.
BITTERSWEET FUTURE
Roughly 225,000 people are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in the United Kingdom, and that number is forecast to rise as the bulk in the present’s population ages. The masses are glad to accept anything with a shot at fighting the effects of Alzheimer’s.
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According to the researchers who are responsible for the latest Alzheimer’s study, people should take into consideration changing their lifestyles in order to protect their brains.
Scientists are working hard to find a drug that could at least delay Alzheimer’s disease, but this could take years. The fact that there are so many people at risk at this moment is frightening. This is the reason people are advised to try to improve their manner of living.
According to the researchers, there are plenty of options that can help people live healthier and avoid not only Alzheimer’s disease, but also many other problems that appear due to an unhealthy lifestyle.
It has been demonstrated that poor sleep quality might lead to memory problems, and this raises the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.
According to the doctors, trying to have a better sleeping program is an important step in changing your daily unhealthy habits. Also, people who suffer from insomnia are strongly advised to see a specialist who can help them with this problem.
The Brain Needs Exercise
Not only seniors are advised to keep their brain engaged. Learning has a great effect on our brains, and it might delay the problems that we risk when leading an unhealthy life.
Stress Is worse than You Thought
Stress is not only bad for your heart, but also for your brain. Of course, we cannot hide from it, even though this would be a great idea. However, we could learn how to cope with the stressful events we encounter during our life in order not to let them affect our brain cells.
A Healthy Diet is What We All Need
Trying to prevent Alzheimer’s disease is definitely not the only reason to have a healthy diet.
Fruits and veggies, as well as products low in sugar and fat, are advisable, because they keep you healthy in general.
Move Your Body!
All people should be paying attention to their bodies, not only to their brains. The lack of physical activity is strongly connected to a large number of diseases that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. So, in order to avoid not only Alzheimer’s disease, but high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol, you should try to exercise as much and as often as you can.
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Great news for people with Alzheimer’s disease was brought by way of a new study showing that a person’s saliva may be able to tell if the person is at risk of getting this disease.
Alzheimer’s is Difficult to Detect
Diagnosing a person with Alzheimer’s is far from being easy. First of all, a medical history is necessary, followed by both physical as well as neurological exams. Furthermore, brain imaging and blood tests must be done in order to complete the results and be able to detect if the disease is present.
Specialists are trying to find better ways to identify Alzheimer’s before it is too late for the patient. But the biggest problem is that this disease is difficult to recognize, even when fully developed.
Saliva – a Tool to Recognize Alzheimer’s
On Sunday, during the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Washington, D.C a new study was presented. In accordance with the researchers responsible for this study, saliva may be used as a diagnostic tool in order to discover early stage Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers at Canada’s University of Alberta tested samples from 22 Alzheimer’s disease patients, 25 people with cognitive impairment and 35 people with normal mental capacities.
According to the results of this recent study, it seems that Alzheimer’s patients had an impressive amount of metabolites in their saliva, compared to the rest of people. This substance may help doctors find out if a person has Alzheimer’s, without waiting for the memory loss symptoms to appear.
An Important Step Towards Detecting Alzheimer’s
The lead author of the study Shraddha Sapkota considers that using saliva to detect Alzheimer’s in a person is an amazing discovery that offers a simple, as well as non-invasive manner that can confirm the diagnosis. However, the research is at an early stage and it has not been probed in by other studies, yet.
According to the authors of this study, the next step is to validate the results with larger studies that will allow them to find out if similar results exist, and if the same metabolites or biomarkers will be identified in a higher number of people. So, there are some gaps in the evidence, but this is still an important step towards the ability to detect Alzheimer’s early.
Almost everyone is aware of the debilitating form of dementia known as Alzheimer’s disease. Most people probably know someone who is affected by it. Well, fortunately, a new drug that will be able to prevent Alzheimer’s disease is expected to be announced sometime this week.
The New Wonder Drug – How to Prevent Alzheimer’s
There have been trials taking part for the drug known as Solanezumab. This drug appears to prevent Alzheimer’s disease by stopping the degenerative process before it proceeds anymore. It is an antibody that binds to the amyloid plaques in the brain and eliminates them. These amyloid plaques are what causes the disease.
The drug initially showed no positive results, though, at a later time, when researchers looked back over the data, they found that it in fact had a benefit for those with mild symptoms. Solanezumab isn’t the drug to completely eliminate the disease, but it will substantially help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
The Expected User base for this Drug
As it stands, Solanezumab only helps with the symptoms of the disease. It helps nerve cells in the brain to communicate more clearly, but it doesn’t stop the disease altogether. This will essentially change the brain functions of the patients in a way that allows them to have a better cognitive benefit than those who suffer from the disease without any medication.
Those who started the drug at 28 weeks into the disease showed a higher benefit from the drug than those who started it later.
What Needs to be Developed
Since the disease only helps prevent Alzheimer’s and doesn’t get rid of the disease altogether, researchers are trying to figure out how they can eliminate it completely. Currently, the treatments from the drugs will eventually wear off due to the overwhelming damage to the brain from the disease.
Stanford University announced last year that they have found that boosting the immune system will clear away the amyloid plaque, so they have begun work on a drug to do just that. The drug is expected to be announced this Wednesday, July 22nd at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. The announcement of this drug will be a huge leap forward in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease.
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Alzheimer’s disease is an extremely discussed condition, one that can cause people to suffer from a diversity of problems. These severe symptoms include mood swings, language problems, and, of course memory loss.
Dementia Isn’t a Specific Disease
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, dementia is not actually a disease, despite what many people believe.
In fact, dementia refers to a large number of symptoms, like communication problems or other issues big enough to interfere with and interrupt normal daily life.
alzheimer’s disease affects African-Americans differently than European-Americans
In accordance with a new research from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Alzheimer’s disease affects people differently, depending on their race.
For this study, researchers investigated the brain autopsy of 122 individuals, 41 being African Americans while 81 European-Americans.
The results revealed that almost all patients showed signs of Alzheimer’s disease. What was curious was that not more than 19.5 percent of the African-Americans investigated had Alzheimer’s disease as single dementia pathology. The same result was found for 42 percent of the studied European Americans.
Another result of this research showed that in 51 percent of the European-American brains was found another type of brain pathology mixed with Alzheimer’s, compared to the 71 percent of African-Americans.
In addition to these answers, it seems that a high risk of severe blood vessel disease was found in the studied African-Americans’ brains.
The Study Could Strongly Influence How Alzheimer’s Disease is Treated
According to this research, the risk of suffering from different types of brain changes is higher for African-Americans.
And this result can have important implications when it comes to how Alzheimer’s disease is treated. Current Alzheimer’s drugs target specific Alzheimer’s disease pathology in the brain, but since the disease has different effects, depending on race, a new treatment will probably be needed to also target other types of common pathologies.
Alzheimer’s is a dangerous disease and this is the reason why it is extremely important to raise awareness about it in both European-American, as well as African-American communities. People should be aware of the implications of this disease, and everybody should report when experiencing any of the symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
The results, found by the Rush University Medical Center study are published in the journal Neurology.
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Over the past several years, there gave been many pieces of research on Alzheimer’s disease, offering incredible answers and discoveries.
Many of them focused on potential treatments, while others suggested potential causes for the neurodegenerative condition.
Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for 60 to 70% cases of dementia. People who are diagnosed with this chronic neurodegenerative disease have an average life expectancy of three to nine years.
Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease Before Symptoms
According to a new study, there might be certain bio-makers that can hint early apparition of Alzheimer’s disease, making it possible for doctors to put a diagnose before the apparition of any symptoms.
The researchers actually say that this condition might begin far earlier in life than the actual symptoms appear. This means that even though the symptoms for Alzheimer’a disease are normally expected to appear in the elderly years, the disease probably begins taking root when people are in their 20s or 30s.
The extensive study was carried out on July 6 at Washington University School of Medicine and has revealed amazing facts about the biomarkers of those who are a victim of Alzheimer’s disease.
A Chance to Find Out How to Stop Dementia
According to the results of the research, it might be possible to tell if a certain Alzheimer’s patient could develop dementia later in life by noticing the changes which biomarkers undergo during midlife.
However, at this moment, it is too early to use the biomarkers to make a definitive prediction regarding the development of the Alzheimer’s disease from an early age, but this is the goal of the researchers.
The Beginning of a Breakthrough
The survey has been recently published in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia. It was conducted by Shannon L. Risacher, Ph.D., and Andrew J. Saykin, Psy.D, who have reviewed data of approximately 600 ADNI candidates.
The study focused on people with “significant memory concerns”, representing older adults who complained about having memory loss in recent months or years. However, when they were given cognition and memory tests, the people were considered to be in normal ranges.
The researchers strongly believe that these preliminary conclusions have a great importance for further research, and that this is just the beginning for bringing patients who are at a high risk of Alzheimer’s disease a breakthrough in the field.
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Ever wonder what would happen if you ran into your first lost love on the train station? Imagine the sheer simultaneity of trauma and bliss forever etching that person, that place, and that day into your mind, like nonconsensual neurological programming. Ever wondered how memories form?
PERHAPS THE BRAIN’S TO BLAME
Neurologists have just gained the ability to observe a specific kind of physical link being created in the human brain. The study detailing recent research was published on Wednesday, in the journal Neuron. It happens when a subject’s (i.e. a Human’s) behavior alters by associating a particular person with a singular place. Itzhak Fried, one of the authors of the paper and also head of the Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory at UCLA, says that “this type of study helps us understand the neural code that serves memory,” and be key to understanding how memories form.
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE AND SENTIMENTALITY
Cognitive psychology and neuroscience have made impressive progress in the study of patients suffering from diseases following accidents or disorders of the brain, but the precise mechanism behind these phenomena has eluded us until now.
This research is supplement to a broader topic of study which began ten years ago. Originally, scientists were inspired by neurons in the medial temporal lobe which seem to have evolved to respond only to a particular person, or a specific place, N.B., many patients tested positive for a real, singular neuron which exists specifically to respond to an images of Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow of the TV show Friends. Scientists think that since the two actresses spent a good deal of time on screen together, it makes sense for the brain to create a link betwixt them.
THE PROCEDURE- how memories form by association
The scientists first step was to identify neurons responding to a specific face, e.g. Clint Eastwood, then scientists identified neurons responding to pictures of a particular place, for instance the Eiffel Tower or the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The fascinating part was to induce this process artificially; to cause the brain to form a new neurological association betwixt person and place. And, when stimulated with such imagery, the neurons in the medial temporal lobe changed their behavior.
“When the association is created, suddenly the cell very rapidly changes its firing properties, says Fried. To note, a cell in the brain ordinarily responding only to imagery of Clint Eastwood responded similarly to imagery of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS
Such neurological behavior could lend explanatory power to how the brain creates memories of experiences in general, which, in addition to persons and specific places, may also involve emotions, tactile sensations, and a plenum of other information, added Fried. These specially designed neurons may function to assist in the re-assembly of all relevant information, to form a unitary simulation in the mind.
BROADER APPLICATIONS
In addition, this study may also explain what occurs in the medial temporal lobe of those whom have trouble forming new memories, where in the case of “Alzheimer’s, one of the very first changes you see is in this very area…I have to create an association between my car and the particular place…If an association is not created, then I will not be able to find my car.”
This study also lends credence to the notion that memories can be formed quite rapidly, noted Michael J. Kahana, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania (not directly involved in the study). This study will doubtlessly assist scientists pursuing the neurological cause(s) of memory impairment and identity loss, and be instrumental in finding out how memories form.
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A new study suggests there may be a link between individuals with high blood pressure and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. However, the researchers have not ruled out whether it is high blood pressure itself or if anti-hypertension medication reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s.
Study Researches Link Between High Blood Pressure and Alzheimer’s
Researchers from the University of Cambridge, University of Washington, and Brigham Young University have published a new study regarding the link between individuals with high blood pressure and their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life.
The study, published in the journal PLOS Medicine earlier this month, used data from 17,008 individuals with Alzheimer’s and compared it to 37,154 people without Alzheimer’s. Though the team investigated several health conditions ranging from diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity, only high blood pressure presented a significant association with disease development.
Robert Scott, the study’s lead investigator scientist from Cambridge, said the research used Mendelian randomisatio to determine if there was a link between health conditions earlier in life and development of Alzheimer’s.
Does High Blood Pressure or Medication Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer’s?
Though a connection between higher systolic blood pressure and lower risk of Alzheimer’s surfaced, the study authors are hesitant to say whether high blood pressure itself is the cause for the reduced risk. It is more likely that the anti-hypertension medication used to control high blood pressure is the primary factor.
Whether its the condition or the medication used as treatment, lead researchers and co-authors have theorized that something concerning high blood pressure probably plays a role in reducing Alzheimer’s risk.
Can High Blood Pressure Medication Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease?
Co-author of the study John Kauwe believes investigating the medications for future use in Alzheimer’s prevention could be extremely useful. The associate biology professor at Brigham Young University also pointed out the drugs already have FDA approval, which can take years to obtain with newer drugs.
The next step may be using the medication specifically in the management or prevention of Alzheimer’s. Though it may take even more research and studies to determine what the causal relationship means, the researchers remain hopeful.
The published paper is now the lead authority in researching the link between the disease and modifiable health conditions, most notably blood pressure.
With additional research, the connection between high blood pressure and the debilitating form of dementia can be established, which can potentially lead to an improved quality of life for the millions of individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
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What’s up with Alzheimer’s affecting more women than men?
Studies about Alzheimer’s have found that the gene associated with the disease, APOE, or rather the APOE4 gene variant specifically, affects women more. Thus, the risk of a woman contracting Alzheimer’s disease is higher.
What’s worse about this is that the gene variant, APOE4, is common in 1 in 5 people, as evident in the 2012 article Genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease. So, the chances of Alzheimer’s affecting women more rises with the commonality of the gene variant.
In 2013, around five million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s.
It is also projected that this number is to rise to a nearly three times larger number, fourteen million by 2050. Often, the changes that the brain undergoes can be years in the making before the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s become evident.
What is the next step in determining all of this?
There is much that scientists studying the disease do not yet understand when it comes to what is causing Alzheimer’s to arise or how Alzheimer’s affecting women more is so prevalent. Maria Carrillo, chief science officer for the Alzheimer’s Association said, “There are enough biological questions pointing to increased risk in women that we need to delve into that and find out why.”
One researcher, Roberta Diaz Brinton, studies if menopause is a sort of precipice that makes women more susceptible to contracting Alzheimer’s. Also, her studies revolve around how estrogen affects the brain and whether or not this may be a factor in the susceptibility of menopausal women who may later encounter cognitive problems.
At the moment, Alzheimer’s disease is one of the top ten leading causes of death in the United States, most especially prevalent in the elderly between the ages of 65 to 85 years of age. The rates are only increasing thereby spiking rising concerns and questions about the disease among the public.
So, last month the Alzheimer’s Association brought together fifteen leading scientists to discuss women’s risk of getting the disease. Later in the summer, the association plans on beginning funding for the research to understand the missing pieces in Alzheimer’s effect on women more.
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Practice that once caused illness and death now provides immunity to some brain diseases.
A once isolated New Guinea tribe, the Fore, would traditionally consume their dead’s cadavers, including their brains. The men would eat the flesh, while the women and children would consume the brain. The ritual led to problems for the Fore people, since their consumption of a certain molecule living in the human brain caused a terrible degenerative illness named “kuru,” which is known to have killed around 2% of the tribe’s population each year. The practice of feasting on cadavers was outlawed in the ‘50s. Now, a new study shows that there was an upside to the Fore’s consumption of human brains.
Gene that protects from brain disease found in study.
In a study published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, one protective gene is written about as guarding people from prions. Prions are a weird, sometimes lethal type of protein that, though made by the bodies of all mammals, can be deformed in such a way that they turn on the bodies that produced them. Deformed prions can even infect surrounding prions, reshaping them, and thus filling the victim’s brains with tiny holes. These holes end up giving the brain a sponge-like texture, and historically have caused massive outbreaks of mad cow disease in cattle. These prions are directly linked to a weird kind of deadly insomnia that starves a person of sleep until he or she is dead, as well Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, which leads to accelerated dementia, memory loss, and eventual loss of speech and ability to move. The gene identified by this study protects the body against prion-related diseases in an interesting way. A tiny alteration in the genome of Fore people kept prion-making proteins from making the disease-causing type of the molecule, which kept them from getting the Kuru illness. Scientists now believe that the changing of prion molecules’ shapes by other prions is likely responsible for the effects of many degenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia.
Incurable prion illnesses have two causes.
Diseases caused by prions have two causes. One is genetic, where the brain disease is passed down from a person’s parents. The other, which accounts for a smaller percentage of cases, is from consumption of infected tissue. Infected tissue can be eaten accidentally in the form of beef from an infected cow.
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Though its been occurring since the 1940s, bees have been in the headlines a lot recently for the fact of their population’s decline. There have been a number of reasons cited to be the cause of the bee population’s decline — a lack of flora, radiation, parasites, etc. The most recent suspect for it is aluminum pollution.
Aluminum as a Prime Suspect
Aluminum, a chemical element that has also been attributed to Alzheimer’s disease is now believed to contribute to the decline of bees in the world. Biologists at Keele University and University of Sussex are further studying whether this “most significant environmental contaminant” is ultimately the killer of bees.
It’s not unlikely as aluminum, has been a known killer of entire populations of fish. Besides, it’s not as if bees are able to readily avoid aluminum in their day to day lives. According to previous studies, aluminum can actually be found in their nectar, and bees aren’t able to detect it.
By measuring the aluminum content in a bees pupae (the stage before adulthood in an insect’s life cycle), biologists were able to test for this theory. The results revealed aluminum levels in the bee pupae tested ranging from 13-193 ppm (parts per million). To compare, in human brains, aluminum content in excess of 3 ppm “might be considered as pathological with possible contributions towards neurodegenerative disease including Alzheimer’s disease” (PLOS One).
Humans Activity Still Cause of Bees Dying
Humans are not off the hook. Biologists still attribute human activities to the cause of bees dying as the aluminum definitely does not come out of nowhere. Activities such as burning fossil fuels that creates acid rain, and mining aluminum ores to make metals/salts are responsible for the ever-presence of aluminum. And it’s not only bees: aquatic animals, forestry, and our own species have been adversely affected by aluminum in the environment.
Why Alzheimer’s Disease Could Kill Bees
Unfortunately, much like humans, bees are not immune to the increasing presence of aluminum. This could be highly toxic to their survival, because bees are creatures that highly depend on their brains for thriving. Bees rely heavily on high-level cognitive functioning such as memory. An impairment of cognitive functioning could adversely affect their ability to feed, pollinate, etc. While the evidence points toward the aluminum’s high amounts hurting their species, The Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom states that a direct link has not been proven as of yet. Further investigation is necessary in order to affirm this, and save our busy, bumbling dear bees.
