One devastating consequence of dementias is how they degrade a person’s sense of self. This aspect of dementia has a crater-sized impact on those with dementia, but the progressive cognitive decline also enacts compounded suffering on their loved ones.
Since the discovery of dopamine as a neurotransmitter in the 1950s, Parkinson’s disease (PD) research has generated a rich and complex body of knowledge, revealing PD to be an age-related multifactorial disease, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. The tremendous complexity of the disease is increased by a nonlinear progression of the pathogenesis between molecular, cellular and organic systems.
In this iteration of the Unseen Links to Alzheimer’s, we are investigating the potential connection between diet and Alzheimer’s. A new avenue of research focuses on the relationship between gut microbes — tiny organisms in the digestive system — and aging-related processes that lead to Alzheimer’s.
There are two answers to the question of why we don’t yet fully understand Alzheimer’s. The simple answer is that the brain is remarkably complex, it’s the primary organ for cognition thus making investigation into the organ risky, and also research into the brain and mind are, relatively speaking, nascent fields. The more nuanced answer provides context into those stipulations. Alzheimer’s — a neurodegenerative form of dementia — is a condition with a constellation of symptoms that result from damage to the brain so there is nothing to be said about Alzheimer’s without first discussing what some call “the most complicated object in the universe,” the brain.
In this blog, we will look at what current research suggests about air pollution and whether or not it increases the chance one might develop Alzheimer’s, and we will also look at how contributing factors to air pollution might worsen the quality of the air, which could have implications for those already at risk of AD.
Vagus nerve stimulation is a treatment that has been occasionally used to treat epilepsy, treatment-resistant depression, and even Alzheimer’s dementia. Are you familiar with this unusual treatment? Are you familiar with the vagus nerve? Though it’s not commonly known, it’s a critical part of your nervous system and has many potential clinical implications. Let’s chat about the vagus nerve and vagus nerve stimulation, but first, some background and context.
According to the Alzheimer Association’s annual report Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures, “an estimated 6.2 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2021.” This number is expected to more than double to 12.7 million by the year 2050.