The prevention and cure of Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common type of dementia, have become a huge focus in the past years. This is no surprise given how the rise of this condition has also become an alarming public health crisis.
However, the pursuit of its prevention and cure has become quite elusive and controversial.
Alzheimer's Controversies
For one, in June 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration issued its approval for aducanumab, an antibody that specifically aims at the said protein, to be an Alzheimer's treatment. Science Alert notes that this move was made despite the fact that such claims were supported by contradictory and insufficient data.
While some doctors think that the medication should be given a chance, others hold that the treatment should not have been approved in the first place.
Alzheimer's disease is an extremely prevalent condition. In fact, according to Science Daily, a new diagnosis of the condition surfaces every three seconds. Despite its blatant and undeniable prevalence, why are researchers still on a quest for the condition's cure?
Role of the Beta-amyloid Protein
Dr. Donald Weaver, a chemistry professor and the director of the Krembil Research Institute, says that there is an urgent need for new ways to deal with the disease.
At present, the majority of research about the condition focuses on the beta-amyloid protein theory. Dr. Weaver says that this protein is supposedly abnormal inside the brain and that it "clumps up." When it does this, neurons end up dying.
Dr. Donald Weaver says that they think the protein is where it is meant to be and that it is not abnormal. Beta-amyloid serves as an immunopeptide, which is the immune system's messenger. Hence, in cases of head trauma, the protein can help with the repair. It can also help combat bacteria or viruses.
This is where things get messy with the protein. Beta-amyloid is incapable of differentiating between neurons and bacteria. Hence, it may inadvertently attack brain cells instead.
Such a case is what happens in an autoimmune disease, wherein the immune system itself attacks its host.
Alzheimer's as an Autoimmune Disease
The researchers think that the beta-amyloid protein was not abnormally produced. Rather, they think that the protein is one that normally occurs as part of the neurological immune system, as the protein plays a key role in the brain's immune response.
The problem also lies in this specific area. Due to the similarities between neurons and bacteria fat molecules, the protein is incapable of differentiating the two. It ends up attacking brain cells instead.
This results in the progressive and long-term loss of neural function, which then "culminates in dementia."
In such a sense, Alzheimer's disease may actually be an autoimmune condition.
As per Science Alert, the researchers add that the conventionally used drugs for autoimmune disease treatment may not be effective in combating Alzheimer's. Nevertheless, they think that aiming for other pathways that regulate the immune system within the brain could help in the development of effective treatments for the condition.
Check out more news and information on Alzheimer's Disease in Science Times.
