Atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's Disease
Dr. Thomas Beach runs the Sun Health Research Institute brain bank in Sun City, Arizona, that Dr. Joe Rogers described earlier. Dr. Beach sees and catalogues many samples of brain tissue that Sun City residents have donated to research after they die. "We have found that Alzheimer's disease patients are about two times more likely to have clogged blood vessels or severe atherosclerosis than people who are cognitively normal." The problem is particularly common in the blood vessels at the base of the brain.
Dr. Beach describes atherosclerosis as inflammation caused by cholesterol deposits on an artery wall. "The deposit is like a little sore, an open wound." The body's white blood cells target the inflammation and try to repair it. The white blood cells and other material released in the healing process slip into the lining of the artery where they accumulate and create more inflammation. Additionally, a fibrous material forms and then hardens within the artery lining. This plaque builds up over time and blocks the flow of blood. "It's shocking the extent to which some of these brain arteries are plugged up by yellowish cholesterol deposits. In some of the arteries, the area for the blood to flow through is extremely small or nonexistent."
"We think that there is definitely some kind of relationship between atherosclerotic vascular disease and Alzheimer's disease. We don't know if it's causative or coincidental. If it is causative, we don't understand the mechanism by which atherosclerosis influences Alzheimer's disease. Inflammation may be behind both." Dr. Beach hypothesizes that certain molecules may start an inflammatory process in brain capillaries. Once this happens, the brain capillaries do not function as well, which may reduce the ability to deliver excess beta-amyloid from the brain to the liver and kidneys for disposal.
"Excess beta-amyloid should cross the capillary wall into the bloodstream. If the capillaries aren't doing their job because of inflammation, they may not be getting rid of beta-amyloid the way they should. The beta-amyloid can accumulate in the brain as amyloid plaques." Dr. Beach agrees with other researchers that the drugs and lifestyle changes that have successfully addressed vascular disease may well prove valuable in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
Excerpted from THE ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT: MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE, published by Public Affairs, www.publicaffairsbooks.com.
In This Section
- Vascular Disease
- Insulin Resistance and Diabetes
- Connecting Alzheimer's Disease to Vascular Disease
- Vascular Injury
- Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease
- The Problem of Cholesterol
- What's Good for the Heart is Good for the Brain
- Atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's Disease
- Associating Alzheimer's Disease with Insulin Resistance and Diabetes
- Diabetes and Insulin Resistance
- Insulin in the Brain
Momentum in Science: The Supplementary Series
- Understanding and Attacking Alzheimer's 12 min
- How Far We Have Come in Alzheimer's Research 15 min
- Identifying Mild Cognitive Impairment 20 min
- The Role of Genetics in Alzheimer's 12 min
- Advances in Brain Imaging 11 min
- Looking Into the Future of Alzheimer's 6 min
- The Connection Between Insulin and Alzheimer's 21 min
- Inflammation, the Immune System, and Alzheimer's 29 min
- The Benefit of Diet and Exercise in Alzheimer's 16 min
- Cognitive Reserve: What the Religious Orders Study is Revealing about Alzheimer's 20 min
- Searching for an Alzheimer's Cure: The Story of Flurizan 30 min
- The Pulse of Drug Development 15 min
- The DeMoe Family: Early-Onset Alzheimer's Genetics 25 min
- The Nanney/Felts Family: Late-Onset Alzheimer's Genetics 20 min
- The Quest for Biomarkers 17 min
Video: Inside the Brain: Unraveling the Mystery of Alzheimer's Disease
This 4-minute captioned video shows the progression of Alzheimer's disease in the brain.
Inside the Brain: An Interactive Tour
The Brain Tour explains how the brain works and how Alzheimer's affects it.
Alzheimer's Disease: Unraveling the Mystery
This book explains what AD is, describes the main areas in which researchers are working, and highlights new approaches for helping families and friends care for people with AD.
- About The Scientists
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- Rapid advances in our knowledge about AD have led to the development of promising new drugs and treatment strategies. However, before these new strategies can be used in clinical practice, they must be shown to work in people. Advances in prevention and treatment are only possible thanks to volunteers who participate in clinical trials.
- Among those touched by Alzheimer's (excluding self), nearly one-third provide support as a friend or relative, another 3% provide support as a healthcare professional, and the remaining two-thirds provide no support to the person suffering from Alzheimer's. When support is provided, it most often entails emotional support, followed by care-giving support. While small in comparison, more than one person in ten is providing financial support. Read more.