Alzheimer’s disease is a serious illness that mainly affects older people. It causes memory loss, confusion, and changes in behavior.
It is the most common cause of dementia, which is a group of conditions that make it hard for people to think clearly or take care of themselves.
Scientists have been studying Alzheimer’s for many years, but there is still no cure. To better understand the disease, researchers have been exploring what causes it.
For a long time, two main theories have been used to explain Alzheimer’s. The first theory says the disease is caused by a protein called amyloid-beta that builds up in the brain and blocks the signals between brain cells.
The second theory focuses on mitochondria, which are the parts of cells that make energy. If these stop working properly, the whole cell can suffer.
A recent study led by Jan Gruber at Yale-NUS College has added new information to the second theory. The researchers used tiny worms called Caenorhabditis elegans for their study. Even though they are small, these worms have many of the same cell types as humans, which makes them useful for research.
The study found that problems with the worms’ mitochondria happened before amyloid-beta started to build up. This means that trouble with making energy might come first, not second. If true for humans as well, it could change how we think about Alzheimer’s and how to treat it.
One exciting part of the study involved a drug called Metformin. This is a common medication used to treat diabetes. When the worms were given Metformin, their energy production returned to normal and they lived longer, healthier lives. This suggests that fixing energy problems early might help prevent Alzheimer’s.
The researchers also believe that Alzheimer’s and other diseases related to aging may be connected. Instead of being totally separate conditions, they may just be different results of the same aging process. If that’s true, treatments that slow aging could help prevent Alzheimer’s too.
This new idea could lead to big changes in Alzheimer’s research. Instead of only focusing on amyloid-beta, scientists might also look at how cells produce energy and how to keep mitochondria healthy.
Of course, just because something works in worms doesn’t mean it will work in people. More testing is needed to make sure it’s safe and helpful for humans.
The study was published in the science journal eLife. It gives us hope that we might be closer to finding a way to prevent or treat Alzheimer’s. Even though there is still a lot to learn, this research brings us one step closer to solving the mystery of this difficult disease.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about vitamin D deficiency linked to Alzheimer’s and dementia, and strawberries can be good defence against Alzheimer’s.
For more health information, please see recent studies about foods that reduce Alzheimer’s risk, and oral cannabis extract may help reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms.
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