For clarification purposes, and further research
Posted on 12/11/2017 1:33:07 PM PST by Red Badger
An international team of scientists have confirmed the discovery of a major cause of dementia, with important implications for possible treatment and diagnosis.
Professor Garth Cooper from The University of Manchester, who leads the Manchester team, says the build-up of urea in the brain to toxic levels can cause brain damage - and eventually dementia.
The work follows on from Professor Cooper's earlier studies, which identified metabolic linkages between Huntington's, other neurodegenerative diseases and type-2 diabetes.
The team consists of scientists from The University of Manchester, the University of Auckland, AgResearch New Zealand, the South Australian Research and Development Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University.
The latest paper by the scientists, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that Huntington's Disease - one of seven major types of age-related dementia - is directly linked to brain urea levels and metabolic processes.
Their 2016 study revealing that urea is similarly linked to Alzheimer's, shows, according to Professor Cooper, that the discovery could be relevant to all types of age-related dementias.
The Huntington's study also showed that the high urea levels occurred before dementia sets in, which could help doctors to one day diagnose and even treat dementia, well in advance of its onset.
Urea and ammonia in the brain are metabolic breakdown products of protein. Urea is more commonly known as a compound which is excreted from the body in urine. If urea and ammonia build up in the body because the kidneys are unable to eliminate them, for example, serious symptoms can result.
Professor Cooper, who is based at The University of Manchester's Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, said: "This study on Huntington's Disease is the final piece of the jigsaw which leads us to conclude that high brain urea plays a pivotal role in dementia.
"Alzheimer's and Huntington's are at opposite ends of the dementia spectrum - so if this holds true for these types, then I believe it is highly likely it will hold true for all the major age-related dementias.
"More research, however, is needed to discover the source of the elevated urea in HD, particularly concerning the potential involvement of ammonia and a systemic metabolic defect.
"This could have profound implications for our fundamental understanding of the molecular basis of dementia, and its treatability, including the potential use of therapies already in use for disorders with systemic urea phenotypes."
Dementia results in a progressive and irreversible loss of nerve cells and brain functioning, causing loss of memory and cognitive impairments affecting the ability to learn. Currently, there is no cure.
The team used human brains, donated by families for medical research, as well as transgenic sheep in Australia.
Manchester members of the team used cutting-edge gas chromatography mass spectrometry to measure brain urea levels. For levels to be toxic urea must rise 4-fold or higher than in the normal brain says Professor Cooper.
He added: "We already know Huntington's Disease is an illness caused by a faulty gene in our DNA - but until now we didn't understand how that causes brain damage - so we feel this is an important milestone.
"Doctors already use medicines to tackle high levels of ammonia in other parts of the body Lactulose - a commonly used laxative, for example, traps ammonia in the gut. So it is conceivable that one day, a commonly used drug may be able to stop dementia from progressing. It might even be shown that treating this metabolic state in the brain may help in the regeneration of tissue, thus giving a tantalising hint that reversal of dementia may one day be possible."
Explore further: Kidney disease increases risk of diabetes, study shows
More information: Renee R. Handley el al., "Brain urea increase is an early Huntington's disease pathogenic event observed in a prodromal transgenic sheep model and HD cases," PNAS (2017). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1711243115
Journal reference: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences search and more info website
If you have to explain a joke, it ain’t funny...unless of course, you have to explain it to LucyT...
I think you are correct...my 91 yr old MIL eats pretty much sugar and carbs, with occasional vegetable and protein. She’s suffering dementia now (we just got her in Assisted Living 2 days ago). BUT her labs come up fine....course she was an alcoholic...so maybe she’s well preserved!
My incredible mother recently succumbed to dementia after suffering for several years. The last two years her downward progression became increasingly faster. It was very hard, on her, and on my siblings and myself. Her frequent UTIs were a constant struggle, and when they got out of control, her confusion was out of this world. I lost my mom one bit at a time, over the course of a few years. So difficult to watch. I hope and pray that this is a breakthrough that helps to turn the tide against this terrible disease. I would love it if another family could be spared what mine has been through.
I love you, Mama, and I miss you, especially this Christmas season!
***Beyond that we were always close and she did so much for me for so many years I could only consider it my privilege to care for her. The hardest part was not what I might have considered my sacrifices to do it but helplessly watching that *@#$ disease steal her memories and mental abilities in an ultra-slow motion fashion. And she was aware that that was happening and it upset her. That tore my heart out.***
The only thing I can think of to say is “ditto”. Cruel, cruel, insidious disease. I think every caregiver, especially children of a parent with dementia, could write a book about their experiences with their loved one.
I am extremely thankful that all of the necessary circumstances existed so that I could be there for her and do what had to be done to take care of her properly. But I would never ever be critical of someone who decided that they just couldn’t take it. It is that hard as you, unfortunately, know.
I will keep you and your Mom in my prayers.
I only have a few tidbits of advice.
1. As best as you can, try to get your Mom to talk about family history or anything that she is still able to remember. Record it on your phone if possible, or take short videos. They will be extremely comforting in the months and years to come.
2. Give her lots of hugs. Hold her hand. Stroke her hair. Comfort her as best as you can. If she wants an ice cream cone instead of more water, consider indulging that request. Her smile with be so worth it!
3. Treasure as many moments with her as you can. Even her confused musings can be humorous when viewed with love. My Mama didn’t recognize me the last couple of years, but at the very end, told the doctor that my name was Kitchen. She got the first letter right! If I could only hear her call me Kitchen now, what joy it would be!
4. Keep love, instead of the difficulties you’ll be enduring, at the forefront of your relationship with her. Love will fend off an awful lot of what can only be thought of as pain, and will make it bearable.
God bless you and your Mom.
Beautiful advice! I endorse it all a thousand times over.
I often felt like the only thing I could do for my mother (mundane tasks aside) was to make her laugh as often as possible. Thankfully I was able to do that almost to the end.
Our mothers must have both had the gift of an amazing and nearly incurable sense of humor. We did a LOT of laughing together! It is GOOD medicine!
Maybe a few beers would do her good!..................
For clarification purposes, and further research
Y’all should read the book....The End of Alzheimer’s, by Dale E. Bredesen, MD
See post 91....may be useful to you
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