Scientific studies show 76 percent of Americans suffer from memory lapses decreased alertness and other forms of dementia. If you want to protect your brain functionbe sure to read this Thursday Edition of
Health News Weekly.
Youll find out about new scientific research thats helping doctors understand why you lose brain power. And youll also learn about an aggressive treatment some doctors are using to treat patients who suffer from a brain hemorrhage.
Theres a lot to talk about, so lets get to it!
Scientists Discover Microscopic Key
to Alzheimers Disease!
The scientific and medical communities have long debated the association between Alzheimers disease and the abundance of amyloid plaques in the brains of these patients.
The question is: Do these plaques actually cause the diseaseor are they a consequence of disease progression?
According to a June 22, 2008 statement from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), new research shows that beta-amyloid protein fragments may play a role in initiating the disease.
The study was conducted by Ganesh M. Shankar, Ph.D., and Dennis J. Selkoe, M.D., of Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School. They collaborated with other Harvard researchers, as well as researchers in Ireland at University College Dublin, Beaumont Hospital and Royal College of Surgeons Ireland and Trinity College Dublin.
Alzheimers disease is marked by the build-up of plaques containing beta-amyloid protein fragments. Typically, the disease is observed first in the hippocampusthe part of the brain important to memory.
From there the disease gradually spreads to the outer layer of the brainthe cerebral cortex.
In this study, researchers tested cerebral cortex samples from brains donated for autopsy. The subjects were people aged 65 and older with Alzheimers and other dementias, as well as those without dementia.
The samples contained soluble fragments of beta-amyloid&mdas;called monomers, dimers and trimersas well as insoluble plaque. The researchers either injected the extracts into normal rats or added the extracts to samples of normal mouse hippocampus.
The research team discovered that both the soluble monomers and the insoluble plaque fragments had no detectable effect on the hippocampus.
However, the soluble dimers caused memory impairmentspecifically memories of newly learned behaviors. And the dimers also caused a 47 percent reduction in the density of some brain nerve cells!
The dimers seemed to be directly affecting brain synapsesthe connections that promote communication between neurons.
The findings in the animal study were consistent with the brain tissues of people clinically diagnosed with Alzheimers and those without dementia.
Scientists have theorized for many years that soluble beta-amyloid may be critical to the development and progression of this devastating disease. Now these researchers have isolated a candidate causative agent from brains of people with typical Alzheimers and directly tested it in an animal model, said National Institute of Aging (NIA) Director Richard J. Hodes, M.D. While more research is needed to replicate and extend these findings, this study has put yet one more piece into place in the puzzle that is Alzheimers.
The study appears online in the June 22, 2008, issue of Nature Medicine.
Fast Fact
An apple a day may help keep the doctor away, but so can apple cider vinegar supplements! This powerhouse nutrient can help relieve a host of ailments, including: arthritis pain constipation fatigue headaches hemorrhoids indigestion stiff joints and MORE!
IV Treatment Improves
Brain Hemorrhage Outcomes
Aggressive intravenous (IV) treatment to lower blood pressure may be the key to improving the quality of lifeor even saving the lifeof a person who suffers bleeding in the brain.
Researchers at the George Institute for International Health in Sydney, Australia, concluded that this treatment is a safe way to reduce the risk of disability and death.
A brain hemorrhage often causes a rapid rise in blood pressurewhich may cause more bleeding and cause it to spread. This can cause the patients condition to deteriorate more quickly.
According to a HealthDay report, findings published in the May issue of The Lancet Neurology said the study compared two groups:
- 203 patients who received intensive IV treatment for lowering blood pressure (target systolic blood pressure 140mm Hg) and
- 201 patients who received the recommended standard strategy (target systolic blood pressure 180 mm Hg).
When researchers examined results from brain scans performed 24 hours after the start of treatmentthey noticed the area of internal bleeding, known as a hematoma, increased by only 13.7 percent in the intensive IV treatment group.
But the area of bleeding in the non-intensive treatment group grew more than 36 percent!
Researchers found no differences between the two groups in terms of harmful side effects, rates of death and disability, or quality of life for survivors after 90 days.
Because intravenous treatment to lower blood pressure is relatively straightforward, is not hazardous and is of low cost, if applied widely, these effects could translate into major absolute benefits, said Dr. Craig Anderson, of the George Institute for International Health, in a HealthDay report.
As the trial continues, the researchers will expand their investigation to include 2,800 brain hemorrhage patients worldwide. Their goal is to determine how intensive IV treatment for lowering blood pressure affects death and dependency..
Health E-Hints
Natures Dynamic Duo Clobbers
Unsightly Leg Veins!
Have you begun to notice a few pesky, red lines crawling up your legs? Theyre called spider veins. And just like varicose veinsthey form when your vein walls become weak and expand under pressure.
If you want to end their crawl, try taking a combination of gingko biloba and gotu kola extracts. These two herbs help strengthen circulation and can help prevent the formation of new varicose veins.
And you can boost results by adding regular exercise to your daily routine. Now thats a remedy that wont make your skin crawl!