We Have Given People Amyloid Disease

http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2018/12/17/we-have-given-people-amyloid-disease

by etiam • 8 years ago

123 11 8 years ago

blogs.sciencemag.org

As an aside, the author, Derek Lowe, is a great writer. If you haven't done so, check out his "Things I won't work with" series on the same blog. https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/category/thin...

It is very informative and funny.

DuskStar• 8 years ago

His blog is great for general "this is what's going on in chemistry and pharmacology" news too - it's not just things he won't work with! Admittedly, I really wish he'd do more articles in that series, because they were absolutely hilarious.

gadders• 8 years ago

It must mean that everything left is safe...

abledon• 8 years ago

New research shows amyloids may not be the cause of Alzheimers [1].

[1]https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/dec-8-2018-why-are-users-tak...

AstralStorm• 8 years ago

*ultimate cause

They definitely can cause it as shown in multiple inoculation experiments unless there is some other kind of contamination happening - which is unlikely. Their presence in high enough numbers also starts the runaway process.

But those misfolded proteins do not start making themselves on their own...

And if the cascade is indeed immune related then stopping progression should be potentially as easy as targeted immune suppression combined with amyloid treatments. (Not easy at all but easier than doing it outside the brain.)

And obviously getting the cause too if possible. So far, few successes in treating, say, later stage Lyme disease...

coldtea• 8 years ago

New research is a dime a dozen.

adrianN• 8 years ago

The comments to this article are worth a read too.

philshem• 8 years ago

I got smarter reading those comments.

rawoke083600• 8 years ago

"Nicest" Theory I've heard recently (think from a Peter Attia talk). That in almost all cases of Alzheimer's there is a broken/reduced glucose-brain-mechanism (Hypo-glucose-metabolism) in the brain, that's why there are a good amount of ppl showing improvement on Keto'based diets. Since the brain can't get enough energy from the normal glucose pathways it has less energy to help clear out plague(tau) and other debris.

agglomerative• 8 years ago

Ugh, god damn it. This is bad news for reasons beyond medical intervention.

Consider the premise of gangrene or any scenario involving necrotized flesh in contact with living flesh. If an infectious proteinaceous agent gets beyond protective barriers, whether via artificial or natural means, with sufficient dose or load, you'll get pathology. Which is to say, whether in a clinical experimental setting or not, this can happen to organisms.

fisherjeff• 8 years ago

The link between HGH and beta-amyloid is new to me, and makes me wonder how many former NFL players now suffering CTE may be affected by that as well as brain trauma.

We Have Given People Amyloid Disease

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