Unusual Causes of Alzheimer’s Disease: Swelling Caused By Amyloid Plaques Can Trigger The Symptoms

Did you know swelling caused by Amyloid plaques can trigger the symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease? Scroll down to know more.

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly and gradually damages the memory and thinking skills of an individual. When left untreated, the disease can eventually make the patient incapable of carrying out the simplest tasks. It is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. How does the disease spread? As per studies, Alzheimer’s is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain, which are thought to be the cause of the disease’s hallmark symptoms.

However, in a recent study, researchers have stated that they have identified a new biomarker and potential therapeutic target for Alzheimer’s disease. This hidden cause of Alzheimer’s disease was never highlighted before.

New Cause of Alzheimer’s Disease Identified

Published in the journal Nature, the study led by Dr Jaime Grutzendler, Dr Harry M. Zimmerman and Dr Nicholas and Viola Spinelli Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at the Yale School of Medicine, found that swelling caused by a byproduct of amyloid plaques may be the true cause of the disease’s debilitating symptoms.

As per their findings, each formation of plaque can cause an accumulation of spheroid-shaped swellings (which can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease) along hundreds of axons. These axons are the thin cellular wires that connect the brain’s neurons, near amyloid plaque deposits.

What causes these swellings? Researchers stated that these swellings are usually caused by the gradual accumulation of organelles which are present within the cells. They are known as lysosomes, the ones that are responsible for digesting cellular waste. Upon the enlargement of these swellings, they can blunt the transmission of the normal electrical signal from one region of the brain to another, causing disruptions in the brain’s signalling process.

“The pileup of lysosomes causes swelling along axons, which, in turn, triggers the devastating effects of dementia,” one of the authors of the study was quoted as saying.

Common Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease

The damage due to Alzheimer’s initially takes place in parts of the brain involved in memory, including the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. It later affects areas in the cerebral cortex, such as those responsible for language, reasoning, and social behaviour. Eventually, many other areas of the brain are damaged. At this point in time, some common signs and symptoms may show up to tell you about the worsening condition of the disease. Take a look at some of the signs here:

What does the disease look like? To highlight what exactly the disease looks like, let’s focus on how it affects and damages a person’s memory. Memory problems such as forgetting basic things on a daily basis, not being able to focus, etc, are typically one of the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s, though initial symptoms may vary from person to person.

Apart from memory problems, the patient may also find it difficult to think properly. Therefore, a decline in other aspects of thinking, such as finding the right words, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning or judgment, may also signal the very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Memory loss
Losing the ability of thinking and reasoning
Depression
Delusions
Having trouble finding the right words for objects, expressing thoughts or taking part in conversations.

Treatment Options for Alzheimer’s Disease

There is no treatment that cures Alzheimer’s disease. However, there are medical approaches that can help slow down the progress of this condition and reduce the severity of this disease. As per experts, when the condition reaches its advanced stages, severe loss of brain function can cause dehydration, malnutrition or infection, which can eventually result in death.