Did you catch the article in the October 2016 issue of the AARP Bulletin? Very interesting. Dr. Rudolf Tanzi, a Neuroscientist at Harvard, gave an interview about where scientist are looking at in Alzheimer’s research. He made some key points about what is really important to understand. Top on the list is the role of inflammation in the brain. Who knew?

Apparently a person can have the plaque and tangles (caused by an amyloid which is an aggregate of usually unhealthy proteins)) forever. However, the tipping point is the role of inflammation. That results from the plaque and tangles in the brain and puts people over the edge with brain deterioration. The growth of the plaque and tangles can start way before-perhaps by 20 years ahead of any cognitive symptoms. What is important to understand is that unless the inflammation kicks in, one would not get the disease.

If scientist could lower the amyloids with drugs (yet to be approved), that could possible put a significant dent in the development of the disease. One would assume that drug trials would be the first requirement of the FDA. Unfortunately, that may be years of testing. As Dr. Tanzi notes “We can’t wait 10 years for prevention trials. People are getting the disease at epidemic levels. Once we have drugs to bring the amyloid down, let’s get people to take them”.

Check out the full article at www.AARPBulletin.com