Posted on 10/28/2011 11:36:30 AM PDT by decimon
For decades the amyloid hypothesis has dominated the research field in Alzheimer’s disease. The theory describes how an increase in secreted beta-amyloid peptides leads to the formation of plaques, toxic clusters of damaged proteins between cells, which eventually result in neurodegeneration. Scientists at Lund University, Sweden, have now presented a study that turns this premise on its head. The research group’s data offers an opposite hypothesis, suggesting that it is in fact the neurons’ inability to secrete beta-amyloid that is at the heart of pathogenesis in Alzheimer’s disease.
The study, published in the October issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, shows an increase in unwanted intracellular beta-amyloid occurring early on in Alzheimer’s disease. The accumulation of beta-amyloid inside the neuron is here shown to be caused by the loss of normal function to secrete beta-amyloid.
Contrary to the dominant theory, where aggregated extracellular beta-amyloid is considered the main culprit, the study instead demonstrates that reduced secretion of beta-amyloid signals the beginning of the disease.
The damage to the neuron, created by the aggregated toxic beta-amyloid inside the cell, is believed to be a prior step to the formation of plaques, the long-time hallmark biomarker of the disease.
(Excerpt) Read more at lunduniversity.lu.se ...
Ping
I forgot what it was I wanted to comment about.
I used to have a theory about the causes of Alzheimer’s disease...
You meet new friends every day!
I just saw an ad for an Alzheimer’s benefit called “An Evening to Remember”.
Why am I posting on this thread again?
Where are my glasses?
I just want to thank you for all the research articles you post. You are a wealth of information.
((hug))
((hug))
Not that I don't appreciate the hug but you crushed my potato chip. ;-)
You're welcome.
Thanks for the information. More and more people have Alzheimer’s. A few weeks ago, I had to put my husband in long term care because he was a threat to me, and a threat to himself. He is entering the late stage. The other day, and man in his fifties brought his wife in, who also has had Alzheimer’s for years. She is only 57. In another nursing home, a man in his forties has it. Alzheimer’s research needs to be a priority, because it’s reaching the young and old at a fast pace.
Sorry to see that about your husband. Terrible thing.
I'm just a layman but it does look like progress is being made in research. Sure hope so.
LOL!!!
Sorry :)
I’m so sorry.
My MIL has it bad. She went from being forgetful to not knowing who anyone in a year. She is now in constant care.
I watch my favorite movie over and over. Always a surprise.
I saw a show a few years ago on PBS about Alz research. They interviewed some researchers who don’t hold to the popular theories regarding plaques, amyloids, etc. The maverick researchers were ostracized by fellow researchers, Universities, and Pharms. for daring to look beyond the “accepted” theories. Sad.
We have it in our family.
I think it may always have been there, but past generations always died off from smoking and drinking before Alzheimer’s kicked in. It’s starting to show up as members reach their 80s now - way past when we as a family used to die off.
Terrible disease for everyone around the victim. It only seems to be bad for the victim for a little while, as they transition into it and realize they’re losing their mind - after that, they don’t seem to be conscious of what’s going on, mercifully. Hell on everybody else - especially the primary caregiver(s).
It’s selfish, and I regret thinking it, but sometimes I wish my grandmother had died 5 or 6 years earlier so I only had the memories of who she was for most of my life, and not who she was in those final years.
I understand. It's difficult seeing the ill person for nearly ten years, and trying to remember the healthy one. With Alzheimer's, we go through two deaths, the mind, then the body.
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