Jul 85 min read

Alzheimer’s Disease

Updated: Aug 6

Alzheimer's disease is a fatal condition for anyone who has it and is thought to be the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. It is a type of dementia that worsens over time. In most cases, first symptoms of the disease appear later in life, making it hard to detect and treat early on. Alzheimer's is known to be hereditary, however, that is not the only way to obtain it. It is often seen in people with pre-existing heart conditions and is more likely to be found in African Americans and Hispanics. In 2020, around 5.8 million Americans were living with Alzheimer's disease and this number continues to grow as there is no known cure for it. That said, certain medications and therapies have been shown to help manage symptoms temporarily. Scientists and researchers are looking for the last piece to this puzzle to help all of those living with this disease.

Dr. Alois Alzheimer was a German psychiatrist with an expertise in neuropathology. In 1901, he was credited with discovering Alzheimer's disease while treating a 51-year-old patient exhibiting symptoms of dementia. This discovery began the understanding of Alzheimer's disease as a brain condition and the search for treatment began. With all the research that has and continues to happen, we are more aware of the signs of Alzheimer's and its patterns.

Alzheimer's generally targets older females between the ages of 65 and 74. Family History puts one at a higher risk of getting this disease because it is hereditary, however, the genetic factors are severely complex and have not been easily identified to this day. Those with Down Syndrome have three copies of chromosome 21 which holds the gene involved for a major problem that causes Alzheimer's. Others include mild cognitive impairment, head trauma, cardiovascular disease, depression, air pollution, excessive alcohol consumption, poor sleep patterns, and poor lifestyle choices. Ongoing studies are being conducted to see the effect that diet, environment, and social choices make on a person's risk of getting the disease.

What is Alzheimer's disease? It is characterized by changes in the brain that eventually leads to deposits of certain proteins which causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to die eventually, initiating a gradual decline in cognitive function such as memory, thinking, behavioral, social skills, and eventually the ability to carry out simple tasks. In earlier stages, it generally results in mild memory loss and progresses to more serious changes such as the inability to carry on a conversation or respond to the environment. Simply put, scientists believe that Alzheimer's begins when the communication networks in the brain are prevented from carrying out their respective jobs. When one group of neurons is prevented from working, it causes problems for other groups of neurons, thus leading Alzheimer's to become more aggressive over time as symptoms show up later in one's life. Although scientists don't exactly know what causes the disruption in the brain, there are two prime suspects that they question. Plaques, deposits of a protein fragment called beta-amyloid that build up in space between nerve cells, and tangles, twisted fibers of the protein Tau that build up inside cells, are thought to play a role in the cause of this destructive disease. Scientists believe that plaques and tangles are responsible for this disease because those with Alzheimer's tend to develop a larger amount of them in a particular pattern: Starting with areas pertaining to memory and spreading to other regions later on. It is thought that their role in blocking communication among the nerve cells in the brain disrupts processes that the cells need to survive, thus explaining the die-off in brain cells in patients with Alzheimer's disease. When enough damage has occurred, the patient with Alzheimer's will have a physically smaller brain because when the neurons die in multiple places around the brain, the brain tissue shrinks significantly. Depending on the patient, the brain could also respond to inflammation, blood vessel damage, production of unstable molecules (free radicals), and mitochondrial dysfunction (breakdown of energy production within a cell). Scientists believe that those who experience Alzheimer's earlier in life, also known as early-onset Alzheimer's, are due to genetic mutations whereas late-onset Alzheimer's occurs due to complex brain changes that occur over decades. This is the main reason why it is so hard to determine specific causes of Alzheimer's as there are multiple variables that are in play.

Temporary management and treatment for Alzheimer's disease have come a long way since being first discovered in 1901, however, there is still no cure for the disease. The FDA has approved two types of drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease, cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA antagonists, along with a medication that is shown to reduce amyloid deposits in the brain, aducanumab. In addition to these medical options, multiple clinical trials are testing various approaches that show potential in temporarily cal the side effects of Alzheimer's. Different methods of targeting plaques and tangles, inflammation, and cognitive stimulation are being looked at closely. Additionally, recent Stanford studies are showing success with stem cell therapy in mice models of Alzheimer's disease. Of course, more testing and clinical studies must be completed in order for this to become a potential reality for humans because stem cell biology and regenerative medicine are very new areas of research. One other potential solution that has been recently looked at is the involvement of gene therapy to protect neurons from the buildup of proteins that cause Alzheimer's disease. Researchers believe that increasing the neurotrophic factor Alpha-1 in cells will allow the neural connections to remain intact in situations where they would otherwise die, such as in Alzheimer's patients. These studies have also gone as far as mice clinical studies, further research must be done before gene therapy or stem cells can pose as a potential solution for Alzheimer's disease. Most of the other treatments that are recommended for Alzheimer's patients target the underlying causes exhibited. For example, antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and sleep aids are all examples of what a doctor may prescribe to a patient with Alzheimer's disease in order to prevent any of these underlying conditions from aggravating the condition further.

With many more clinical trials and studies being conducted as new revelations appear, there is hope for a cure for Alzheimer's disease in the future. As we explore new aspects of the medical field such as Gene editing and stem cell therapies, more solutions arise to the problems that we have been facing for the past 100 years and those with Alzheimer's disease can rest assured that the majority of the institutions around the world are dedicated to putting an end to this disease. Until then, the best method to reduce risk is making better lifestyle choices such as diet, alcohol, smoking, or anything that can harm the brain in any way.

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Alzheimer’s Disease

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