There’s never been a more encouraging time for Alzheimer’s disease research than now, and new developments seem to be appearing every week. The latest data is likely to create a big leap forward in the crusade for a cure: the correlation between Alzheimer’s and the body’s natural immune response to infections.
While researchers have been connecting the dots between the beta amyloid protein and Alzheimer’s disease, the newest bend in the road to a cure comes from the realization that this protein is showing the ability to fend off infections in mice. If beta amyloid works the same way in humans, getting rid of this bacteria-fighting protein, as some drug trials have tried, could be dangerous.
If true, it is possible that Alzheimer’s disease is likely brought on by an over-reactive immune response to a pathogen, causing an overload of problems that an older brain cannot handle.
Even though the findings are currently inconclusive, they synchronize with what we already know about the importance of exercise, proper sleep, and a healthy diet, broadening those benefits into the department of potentially preventing Alzheimer’s. It also paves the way for other possible treatment options, such as inflammatory reduction medications and vaccines.
If you have a loved one with Alzheimer’s in the Lakes Region or central New Hampshire, contact Live Free Home Health Care for our specialized dementia care in Concord and the surrounding areas. Our caregivers are trained in the art of thoughtful Alzheimer’s caregiving by New Hampshire Certified Dementia Practitioners.