And if Alzheimer’s disease had been misunderstood for 30 years? According to a new study published by Dr Rudy Tanzi and Robert Moir, two researchers from Harvard Medical School (USA), the beta-amyloid protein plaques present in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease and which were considered to be responsible for the disease, would in fact have a positive role in the fight against the disease. According to the doctors, this discovery would explain why drugs that target this protein have never slowed the progression of the disease.
The disease would be triggered by an immune response
This new study is the first to investigate the anti-microbial action of beta-amyloid proteins. The latter would gather in plaques to kill the microbes by breaking their cell wall. “Our findings raise the possibility that Alzheimer’s disease is triggered by an immune response when the brain feels like it is under attack from invading pathogens.” point out the doctors.
From this perspective, treatments that aim to get rid of beta-amyloid would not be appropriate.
This study also supports the idea that regular exercisesquality sleep and a healthy diet may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. “Because if our quality of life allows the brain to function properly, it will be able to fight infections without reacting excessively and inflammatory“.
This study was published in the journal science translational medicine.
Read also :
A link between certain viruses and Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s: the microbiota track is interesting