Alzheimer’s disease develops when tiny amyloid-beta plaques build up between neurons in our brains. But, drugs that eliminate or reduce these plaques have not stopped, let alone, reversed, the progression of Alzheimer’s. These drugs do slow cognitive decline by around 30 percent. Sy Boles reports for The Harvard Gazette on progress in treating Alzheimer’s through AI and other new technologies.
Researchers continue to focus on amyloid plaques in their quest to root out Alzheimer’s. The plaques bind to lithium in our brains, preventing the lithium from functioning effectively. But, more than three quarters of people with amyloid plaques have no Alzheimer’s systems and never get them. It’s when they develop tau tangles that cognition declines.
Now researchers believe that a lack of an adequate supply of lithium might spur Alzheimer’s. Lithium is found in our brains and works to keep them from neurodegeneration. Lithium is a treatment for depression and other mood disorders. Could lithium orotate prevent or reverse Alzheimer’s in people?
It appears that some of the lifestyle behaviors that help people with heart disease and other chronic conditions also help people at risk for Alzheimer’s. Diet and exercise reduce amyloid plaques and might improve brain function. Conversely, people with high blood pressure or high cholesterol, people who are overweight or have diabetes face an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.
Research published in The Lancet found that high cholesterol, loneliness, depression, lack of exercise, and inability to hear well could trigger Alzheimer’s. Addressing all these conditions could slow down the number of Alzheimer’s cases by as much as 45 percent. New research suggests that there are many subtypes of Alzheimer’s; knowing the subtype someone has also could improve treatment.
Today, some 7.2 million Americans have Alzheimer’s. That number is expected to more than double to 18.8 million over the next 25 years. The cost of caring for people with Alzheimer’s is growing exponentially.
Here’s more from Just Care:
- FDA approves new Alzheimer’s drug
- Exercise helps people with Alzheimer’s
- To stave off dementia, change up your diet
- Six warning signs of dementia
- Consume olive oil, stave off dementia
