ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE?
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is an advanced degeneration of the brain. The early sign may be short term memory problems. As it advances other issues develop such as difficulty with words, mood changes, difficulty with daily tasks, etc. Some risk factors include head injury, high blood pressure and genetics.
Inflammation of the brain can lead to the deposition of beta amyloid plaque. (1) AD is a neurodegenerative disease, and its pathogenesis has been attributed to extracellular aggregates of amyloid β (Aβ) plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles made of hyperphosphorylated τ-protein in cortical and limbic areas of the human brain. (2)
AD is a progressive disorder that has not responded favorably to drug intervention. Drugs that are approved for AD include cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. Individual responses to these medications vary and the treatment options are limited.
Cholinesterase inhibitors, if effective, gradually lose therapeutic value and stop working. The side effects are nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Probably not a good combination when you can’t control your behavior,
Memantine is for more advanced AD and the side effects include dizziness, headache, confusion and agitation. The last two side effects are probably not good when you already have problems controlling mood and behavior.
The problem seems to be, in a simplified version, that brain inflammation leads to the deposition of beta amyloid plaque which is associated with neurofibrillary tangles composed primarily of this type plaque and tau proteins.
So, here is my suggestion. LabCorp has a new test (available in my office) called Neurofilament light chain protein. It is a blood test that can detect the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s up to 16 years in advance! This kind of time frame would give a pre-disposed person the time necessary to prevent the onset of symptoms when the correct treatment protocol is adopted.
If you are concerned about AD and have a family history of this disease, please contact me to discuss your concerns and what can be done to determine your risk and possible prevention options.
Best Wishes Always, Dr. James Cross
(1) Review
Clin Biochem. 2019 Oct:72:87-89. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2019.04.001. Epub 2019 Apr 4.Neuro-inflammation and anti-inflammatory treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease
(2)
Review
Int J Nanomedicine
. 2019 Jul 19:14:5541-5554.
doi: 10.2147/IJN.S200490. eCollection 2019.
Alzheimer’s disease: pathogenesis, diagnostics, and therapeutics
Sneham Tiwari 1, Venkata Atluri 1, Ajeet Kaushik 1, Adriana Yndart 1, Madhavan Nair 1