#alzheimers

The Potential Cause of Alzheimer’s Disease Has Been Discovered In research done by scientists from Yale University,an overlooked mechanism has been found that can be a possible reason for manifesting Alzheimer’s Disease. This new discovery changes the perspective of experts. Initially believing the predominant hypothesis of the ailment being caused by amyloid plaques. These refer to the tangled clumps of a protein called beta-amyloid that was observed to occur in big amounts in patients that are suffering from the said disease.Now, however, the new discovery points out that the small swellings on neurons can also be a mechanism related to the sickness. Additionally, a newly-identified protein can be used as a biomarker for early detection and future treatments. The study focused on looking at the small, spheroid-shaped swellings that form near the long, wiry part of the neuron. Researchers found out that the swellings can dampen the transmission of electrical signals through other neurons, which may contribute to neurological degeneration. The bigger the swellings get, the more the patient will be prone to the symptoms of Alzheimer’s or other brain-related diseases, such as dementia. “We have identified a potential signature of Alzheimer’s which has functional repercussions on brain circuitry, with each spheroid having the potential to disrupt activity in hundreds of neuronal axons and thousands of interconnected neurons,” said Dr. Jaime Grutzendler, the senior author of the study.Image credit: MART PRODUCTION#Alzheimers #disease #neuroscience #brain #illness #research

Nose-Pickers Shouldn't Panic About Alzheimer's Disease After AllOne of the sad effects of living in the information age is how valid scientific research can become twisted into something sensational as it is filtered through internet media designed to grab attention. The takeaway can end up being downright misleading. There's a Twitter account that identifies some such stories and points out the fact that these are results in experiments with mice, and shouldn't be taken as necessarily valid in humans. A recent example is a story that's gone viral warning that picking your nose could lead to Alzheimer's disease. That can be terrifying, whether you occasionally clear the gunk out or are a habitual nose-picker. The scary part is right there in the headline of the university press release. But those who read past the headline will find outit ain't necessarily so.The study, in mice, found that a bacterium called Chlamydia pneumoniae can infect parts of the brain when seeded in the animal's nose. Further, the study found when that particular bacterium crosses into the mouse brain it can trigger pathological changes that are similar to what is seen in Alzheimer's disease.The words "in mice", "can" (x2), and "similar to" are doing some heavy lifting in that synopsis. The lesson here is to always read past the headlines, consider the source, and remember that panic drives readership. Science moves in small steps, and amazing breakthroughs take a lot of time to become clear. Meanwhile, it's always a good idea to wash your hands both before and after nose-picking, and try not to go too deep. -via Damn Interesting(Image credit: Alexander N) #Alzheimers #nosepicking #hype #sensationalism

Flu Shots Linked to Lower Incidence of Alzheimer's DiseaseA four-year study of people over age 65 shows that those who had a flu shot were 40% less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease in that time period. It wasn't necessary to have a flu shot each year to see the effect. A survey of 935,887 flu-vaccinated patients and an equal number of non-vaccinated people returned some pretty remarkable results. In the group that had received flu vaccines, 5.1% had developed Alzheimer's disease within four years. In the non-vaccinated group, 8.5% developed Alzheimer's. The researchers will not go so far as to say that a flu vaccine directly prevents Alzheimer's, though. Rather, they think it may be that illness such as influenza or pneumonia might alter the immune system in ways that allow Alzheimer's to develop. The flu shot merely prevents those illnesses. They have not discovered the exact mechanism of this effect. However, couldn't there be another explanation? What if people who are on the road to Alzheimer's disease are simply less likely to get a flu shot? More research is called for. -via Damn Interesting(Image credit: City of Detroit) #flushot #fluvaccine #vaccination #Alzheimers