Alzheimer's
disease is a very chronic disease, developing over many
decades before the first symptoms of dementia develop.
The pathophysiological process in the brain is likely to
represent a basic feature of brain biochemistry - that
is, the disease is not an extraordinary and bad thing
which is happening, but rather an ordinary, common and
expected thing. this is suggested by the ability of many
proteins to assume a beta pleated sheet amyloid
configuration, and by the observation that the Abeta
protein is actually a normal protein, with as yet
undefined function. The fact that most people at
the age of say, 75, do not have the disease is because
they have been protected from it by a combination of
favorable genetic and environmental features. we are
striving to better define these genetic and
environmental features that may protect from Alzheimer's
disease pathology. the Alzheimer process is a very slow
process, and therapeutic or preventive manipulations do
not need to have a great effect on the processes
involved, as it is developing so slowly a small change
may be quite effective, delaying onset of the disease
until a later age, at which the subject is not likely to
be still surviving.
We and others have been working to define these genetics
and environmental factors. A preliminary list of
risk factors includes the apolipoprotein E e4
allele, smoking, head injury, hypertension, diabetes
mellitus, cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular
disease, a physically and mentally inactive lifestyle,
female sex, low level of educational and occupational
attainment, and possibly a high fat diet.
Protective factors include a diet rich in antioxidants
in fruit and vegetables,a relatively low fat diet, and
high levels of consumption of fish and polyunsaturated
fatty acids found also in olive oil and nuts.
Alzheimer's
disease is a very chronic disease, developing over many
decades before the first symptoms of dementia develop.
The pathophysiological process in the brain is likely to
represent a basic feature of brain biochemistry - that
is, the disease is not an extraordinary and bad thing
which is happening, but rather an ordinary, common and
expected thing. this is suggested by the ability of many
proteins to assume a beta pleated sheet amyloid
configuration, and by the observation that the Abeta
protein is actually a normal protein, with as yet
undefined function. The fact that most people at
the age of say, 75, do not have the disease is because
they have been protected from it by a combination of
favorable genetic and environmental features. we are
striving to better define these genetic and
environmental features that may protect from Alzheimer's
disease pathology. the Alzheimer process is a very slow
process, and therapeutic or preventive manipulations do
not need to have a great effect on the processes
involved, as it is developing so slowly a small change
may be quite effective, delaying onset of the disease
until a later age, at which the subject is not likely to
be still surviving.
