What Has Been Happening in Alzheimer's Research?

"All in all, we are faced obviously with a peculiar disease process," physician Alois Alzheimer wrote in 1901. After performing an autopsy on one of his patients, the German physician closed that the memory loss, disorientation, impaired speech and delusions were caused by brain shrinkage, uncut dead cells and protein deposits. He began to learn more about Alzheimer's, but just fifteen years later, Alois Alzheimer died, never knowing that a whole branch of Alzheimer's explore would form based on his work.

Some of the latest Alzheimer's explore has focused on brain cell connectors. A new study done by Northwestern University's Feinberg School of rehabilitation found a relationship in the middle of signs of Alzheimer's and a brain protein called kalirin-7. "We already knew that kalirin controlled the synapses," lab researcher Peter Penzes explains.

Northwestern

"But now we understand how it works and that it could be responsible for memory storage. Kalirin acts like a volume dial, development the synapses stronger. This suggests that a drug that would stimulate kalirin could improve memory or delay the progression of memory loss." The next step in this Alzheimer's brain explore is, of course, human clinical trials.

A British Alzheimer's explore study suggests that Hormone exchange Therapy may safe against memory loss in women. "It's added evidence that the brain systems that are complex in dementia are adversely affected by loss of ovarian function," claimed head of explore Dr Michael Craig.

"There may be a primary window of time around the menopause stage when Hrt may have a useful ensue in protecting against Alzheimer's and dementia," he added. However, some American studies found that Hrt may indubitably increase the risk of Alzheimer's symptoms, Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease, suggesting another stalemate.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's explore Trust, warned: "This is not conclusive evidence and women are not advised to start Hrt specifically to safe against dementia since it can have side-effects and maybe increase the risk of stroke."

While there has been no definitive Alzheimer's stoppage found by research, doctors say that exercise, which raises your heart rate for at least 30 minutes some times per week diminishes your risk of Alzheimer's. In animal experiments at the University of Chicago, they found that signs of Alzheimer's were less descriptive in mice that had frequent exercise.

In fact, active mice who exercised had 50-80% less plaque deposits in the brain than sedentary mice. "Regular corporal rehearsal is probably the best means we have of preventing Alzheimer's disease today," says Dr. Ronald Petersen, director of the Alzheimer's explore town at the Mayo Clinic. He added, "It's good than medications, good than intellectual activity, good than supplements and diet."

What Has Been Happening in Alzheimer's Research?