The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that approximately 5.3 million Americans are afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. Currently, one in three seniors will die from Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia. Such staggering statistics may seem dismal, but there is hope on the horizon with recent research findings.
Researchers from the University of Southampton in England have been working with a chemical that reduces neuroinflammation in the brain. This chemical may help protect against the memory and behavioral changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease patients in Hudson County. They hope to reduce brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s patients.
Brain Inflammation in Alzheimer’s Patients
Some theorize that an overactive immune system causes chronic inflammation in the brain. Though researchers are not sure, they suspect that the inflammation is a catalyst for the disease rather than the other way around. Scientists have linked that inflammation to Alzheimer’s in several clinical studies. In these studies, they have looked at the tissue of a healthy brain versus one afflicted by Alzheimer’s.
The brains that suffered from Alzheimer’s showed high levels of immune cells (microglia). Moreover, the concentration of these cells were greater as the disease increased in severity. As such, this suggests that there is chronic brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s sufferers. The molecules that regulate the number of immune cells clearly became more active as the severity of Alzheimer’s in the brains increased. These molecules clustered around the amyloid plaques in the brain associated with the disease. The inflammation is believed to not be a result of the Alzheimer’s disease but a key driver of the disease, states a report done by the Huffington Post.
New Drug May Be On the Horizon
The National Health Service (NHS) reports that mice suffering from symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s experienced improvement when given a drug with the chemical GW2580, which blocked the production of the microglial immune cells that caused brain inflammation. However, amyloid plaques did not diminished. Research in the mice showed an improvement in the cognitive and behavioral symptoms relating to Alzheimer’s when fed GW2580 thereby inhibiting immune cell production and reducing the inflammation within the brain.
Currently, researchers are very hopeful that controlling inflammation in the brain of Alzheimer’s sufferers will lead to a breakthrough. There is hope for reducing brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s patients. They theorize that the use of medication, diet and lifestyle changes have the potential to significantly reduce memory loss caused by the disease. They are hopeful that they will also alleviate a variety of other Alzheimer’s symptoms.
David York Agency Home Healthcare Helping Seniors in Hudson County
At David York Agency, we understand the fears and challenges that Alzheimer’s disease can bring, not just for the person diagnosed, but for everyone in their life. We hope to provide families with the support and care they need during this particularly difficult time.
For more information about David York Agency’s qualified, compassionate caregivers, contact us at 908.373.5300. A free phone consultation can help you decide what services might be best for your family. We are eager to provide you and your loved one with the assistance they need. If you’d like to hear more from us, please like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
