In the News: Research Leads to Promising Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease
Posted: Monday, February 09, 2009
by Val Silver
TapInfinity
I rarely get excited about anything reported in the news but yesterday was an exception. On February 8, 2009 the reporter announced that a team of researchers at the University of California in San Diego published an article in the Journal of Nature Magazine about a recent study done that could affect the future of Alzheimer's treatment. Athough this treatment is not touted as a cure, it could offer a means to delay or slow down the affects of this disease.
What is BDNF?
BDNF is a gene and also a protein. It is formally known as Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor. It's a growth factor produced by neurons primarily in the hippocampus and cortex of the brain when nerve cells are active. It is highly protective of nerve cells (neurons). It affects their survival and functions in the Central Nervous System, especially in areas of the brain susceptible to damage by Alzheimer's disease (AD). BDNF protein is important for long-term memory. It stimulates and controls the growth of new neurons and has been called the Miracle-Gro of brain proteins. It helps the brain make the necessary changes that accommodate learning and memory. BDNF levels are only 25% of normal in Alzheimer patients.
What does this mean for us and our brains?
The hippocampus, cortex and entorhinal cortex (see illustration below) are vital centers for learning, memory, encoding new information and higher thinking skills. The brain makes changes within itself as we learn. New neural pathways develop as we have new experiences and acquire new knowledge. Damage to these areas severely affects the brain's ability to change, thereby hindering our ability to learn and retain new information. This is the main cause of memory problems and difficulty with directions that alerts us to the early stages of AD.
Is there anything we can do to help ourselves?
Yes! This is why this news is so exciting.
It appears that science has just provided us with yet another significant health benefit of lowering stress and increasing mental and physical activity. These are three free, simple and powerful ways you can help your brain produce increased levels of BDNF.
1- Learning and intellectual stimulation.
As you are reading this article you are helping to keep your brain sharp by developing new neural pathways to accommodate your new knowledge. As the information is being encoded in the brain, BDNF levels increase rapidly. Watching TV is not intellectual stimulation.
2- Exercise.
Exercise quickly increases BDNF. Studies show that active adults have less risk of succumbing to depression or losing cognitive abilities. The risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or dementia of any type is reduced. Exercise improves depression in normal adults and those with moderate to severe AD and dementia.
Earlier studies involving rodents and BDNF showed that exercising on alternate days is as effective as exercising every day. Levels increased almost twofold after three months. If you stop exercising, your levels will drop back to where you started within seven days. The good news is that when you begin exercising again, you can regain what you lost within a few days.
Experts suggest a routine of mild aerobic exercise such as brisk walking for 30 minutes four or more days a week.
3- Reduce stress
.Being stressed and the stress hormone corticosterone were shown to lower BDNF in rats. This lead to degeneration of the hippocampus. This damage is also seen in people suffering from clinical depression.
Anti-depressants, the neurotransmitter glutamate, restricting calories, electro-convulsive therapy and deep brain stimulation as used in Parkinson's disease also raise BDNF levels in the brain.
Hopefully, the test animals will continue to respond well to treatment and human trials can begin next year. It sounds as if this is the most promising treatment for Alzheimer's yet.
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More commentsHi Val!At age 71 I can use all the help I can get. And, I work at getting that help.I play chess, I play games and I practice piano. The best thing I do is try to write articles about how to improve your BBQ'ing through a blog.Now, you can call it self-serving, but what it does is....it forces me to research ways to help others to improve their skills, while I improve my skills.I communicate with a lot of guys that I was in the Marine Corps with...we are all the same age.Generally speaking, the ones that are active in something, and that are trying to learn new things are a lot sharper than the ones that don't. I guess that's a "duh!", but it's as simple as that!My only disagreement with you is the TV. If you watch the right programs as "public tv", you are going to learn something. It's better than just sitting in a chair doing nothing. Best to you!Hi Thom,I'm glad to hear you are an active, learning senior!Thanks for sharing. I debated throwing in the TV comment, but research does show that too much TV watching lowers the IQ (similar to smoking marijuana). I'm not sure passively watching even public TV is helpful, but if you actively watch and think or talk about what you are watching/learning so you encode it, then yes, it goes from just watching to learning. Best to you, keep barbequing, Val
Hi Val!You are right about watching too much TV. Even if you watched just educational TV for 12 hours a day it could probably put you in a stupor.
Thanks for another great article.Since retiring I too stay busy and active and involved in the community. I believe that is one of my saving graces.
Great article. The steps to increase BDNF levels you pointed out are great and should be done anyways as a part of a healthy life style.That's the best part. A healthy lifestyle helps everything! Val
Val, thank you for sharing this information. I learned some things and I know it will be helpful to those facing this situation. Lord bless you for sharing your knowledge with us! TeresaThanks Teresa, Love sharing good news, even if it is still "experimental". Val
Wow Val, this is very exciting and informative news. My mom, God Rest her soul, had a friend with AD, and most of the time, he couldn't remember my name, then some days he looked as though he recognized me, but I'm not sure.....he was not active at all. Unfortunately, he passed away, and it broke my moms heart...he was her dear friend.....but hopefully with this new information, perhaps folks like moms friend (Keith) may have some help ahead....Thanks so much for sharing this, I always enjoy your researches, and your articles, I always learn something new from you.....Your fan and friend in pen......Gary.Thanks Gary. It is a horrible disease the way it strips people of their relationships with others when they probably need it the most. My father-in-law has progressed enough where he has to leave his wife and home and it's very hard on the family- even if he doesn't know us most of the time. I doubt this self-helf part could help him now, don't know about the injection but it's not available yet anyway.Like most diseases, prevention or at least delay is the best help.Thanks for writing, your positive comments always make me smile. Val
Great article Val. I read it for some reason, but now have forgotten what it was. :o)Hmmm, if only I could remember why I wrote it...
Guess we both better study some more articles followed by a brisk walk: :)
Val,Another goodie! This is exciting news for those who suffer this debilitating disease as well as their caretakers. I don't think anything is more frightening than the thought of having Alzheimers. I love the way you keep us informed. Many thanks,NancyThanks Nancy, Yes, I am hopeful. In the meantime an ounce of prevention may be our best bet. Val
PS- How are you coming on that chocolate mousse recipe?
Val, thank you for that information. I constantly pray about things of this nature, especially in us women because of our hormonal imbalances. If we could only finalize the departure of stress we'll have more than half the battle won.DeborahHi Deborah, Thanks for commenting. Yes, stress sure does a number on us, and many of us live in a state of stress most of the time. What's your favorite destress "technique"? Have a stress-free day, Val
Great article - interesting and informative!One of the best things to come from the research is, as you point out, the easy ways we can help stimulute our own production of BDNF. Maybe those "Brain Training" games can actually double as "Brain Protecting" games as well?BDNF is the name for protein itself (which is what was injected) and the gene that encodes it (the gene isn't injected)Thanks for a great article!Hi Ben, I think you are absolutely correct about the brain training games being brain protecting. I remember reading somewhere that if someone is in early Alzheimer's it might help them to learn a new language, plus do crossword puzzles and the like.
According to the articles I read, they did say that for the purpose of the experiments, the gene or protein was injected. Don't know what they'll do in actual human trials or treatment if it gets that far. Thanks for commenting, Val
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