Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a mysterious condition affecting people’s memories. Scientists believe that around two-thirds of the risk for AD comes from our genes.
But what about the other third?
Could it be affected by our environment and lifestyle? Let’s take a look at a study by Dr. Gerd Kempermann and his team that might shed some light on this question.
Understanding Alzheimer’s: Genetics vs. Environment
Dr. Kempermann from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and his team wanted to understand the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
You see, AD doesn’t start when the symptoms, like forgetfulness, begin. It actually starts silently, much earlier, with changes in the brain that we can’t see or feel.
To study this, the researchers used special mice, known as AppNL-F mice, which carry genes associated with AD in humans.
These mice develop brain changes and memory problems similar to what we see in human Alzheimer’s patients.
The Experiment: Mice in a Luxurious Environment
The researchers put these AD model mice in a fancy environment with 60 interconnected cages when they were just six weeks old and allowed them to explore this space for 17 weeks.
Then, they moved the mice to standard cages.
Interestingly, living in this enriched environment improved several measures related to metabolism. This is important because metabolism issues are known risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.
The Observations: Effects of the Rich Environment
Dr. Kempermann explained, “The AD model mice in our study showed a reduction in individual behaviors. They became more similar and more rigid.
However, these mice had behavioral deficits very early in the disease course. They did not respond normally to the offerings of their environment.”
This finding is crucial because it could help us understand how to prevent Alzheimer’s disease during its early, silent stage. But the key is that prevention has to start early!
The Paradox: More Brain Cells but Still Sick?
The researchers also looked at how many new brain cells (a process called neurogenesis) the mice were producing.
Surprisingly, the AD model mice had higher rates of new brain cell production than the control mice.
Usually, more brain cells are a good thing, right? But in this case, the researchers think this might be a failing attempt by the mice’s brains to compensate for Alzheimer’s disease.
Exposure to the rich environment, however, normalized this overshooting compensation.
Conclusion: Environment’s Potential Role in Alzheimer’s
John Krystal, MD, Editor of Biological Psychiatry, said about the study, “This novel study suggests that environmental enrichment may reduce the early accumulation of brain plaques in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s.
This insight may suggest a strategy for delaying the symptoms associated with this disorder.”
So, while genes do play a large role in Alzheimer’s disease, this study suggests that the environment might also be important.
Maybe, just like these mice, living in a rich and stimulating environment could help slow down the progression of this challenging disease.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about why some older people are less likely to have Alzheimer’s disease, and this daily habit could help treat Alzheimer’s disease.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about common food that may reduce vascular disease in the brain, and results showing scientists find a strong link between COVID and this brain disease.
The study was published in Biological Psychiatry.
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