There may be some new discoveries in Alzheimers disease.
This article explains some of the new insights into the causes of the most common type of dementia, Alzheimers disease.
Scientists have reviewed years of research and have noticed the virus herpes, appears to interact with human genes known to increase Alzheimers risk. This is not the sexually transmitted disease herpes but other types known as HHV-6 and HHV-7.
This combination of genetic and infectious influence can cause an overactive immune system.
The amyloid protein theory may still play a part in contributing to this disease but it has been losing ground in the thought that it was the only cause of Alzheimers.
Strong consideration of microbes actually being the initial seed that provokes a toxic turmoil is being looked at. This amyloid protein has the potential to build up to fight infection which then begins to impair function of neurons in the brain. The excess amyloid causes another protein called tau, to form tangles which can damage more brain cells and produce inflammation that stimulates the immune system. It is this inflammation, according to Harvard neuroscientist, Rudolph Tanzi, that does the most damage and causes a neurotoxic mess to the Alzheimer’s-afflicted brain. Scientific research has for the past few decades, clearly demonstrated that inflammation is a fundamental process that underlies the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Tanzi explains that microbes may be the initial seed for the complex pathology of Alzheimer’s but that genetics and environmental factors also come into play.
In my opinion, we will find that the microbiome plays an important role in this discovery since its genetic makeup can regulate gene expression as well as modulate inflammation in the immune system.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/09/09/645629133/infectious-theory-of-alzheimers-disease-draws-fresh-interest