Alzheimer’s Disease Research Uncovers a New Hypothesis

Discovering a cure for Alzheimer’s has become as tangled as the tau threads that have long been considered to be the root cause of the disease. But now, researchers may be drawing a step closer to untangling the mystery of Alzheimer’s disease, by using a new train of thought. New Alzheimer’s disease research studies are pointing to the hypothesis of an inflammatory response in the brain, which presents the question: could Alzheimer’s disease in fact be an autoimmune condition?

Diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and even seasonal allergy sufferers know firsthand the impact of a hyperactive immune system. In a perfect world, our immune system shields us from viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens that need to be eradicated. Yet with an autoimmune disease, antibodies attack non-invasive, healthy cells, causing inflammation and other undesirable effects.

In earlier Alzheimer’s disease studies, those notorious amyloid plaques have been the focus. Yet we also understand that even in healthy brains, those plaques are present and are thought to carry out some form of helpful purpose. The immune system concentrates on these plaques, destroying them along with possibly healthy cells in the process: suggestive of a potential autoimmune response.

This unconventional new method to studying and developing treatment options for Alzheimer’s has won lead author of the research, Don Weaver, MD, PhD, of the Krembil Brain Institute, the 2022 Oskar Fischer Prize, which “recognizes innovative ideas in Alzheimer’s research that look beyond prevailing theories.”

For everyone else, it provides optimism that a cure for the condition that strikes a multitude of people could be on the way. Until then, turn to CareWorks Health Services for creative, skilled, and compassionate dementia care services that help those with Alzheimer’s disease continue to live to their fullest potential in the homes they love. We’re proficient in supporting those with dementia and the families who love them to better deal with some of the more disturbing aspects of the disease, such as:

• Wandering and wanting to go “home”
• Agitation, aggression, and other strong and difficult emotions
• Growing unease in the late afternoon and overnight hours (sundowning)
• Repetitive conversations and behaviors
• Memory loss
• And much more

We will work with your family to provide as much or as little care as needed to provide you with the breaks from caregiving you need for your own overall health. After all, caring for someone with dementia is never a one-person task, especially as the disease advances. Taking time away to care for yourself and to recharge is incredibly beneficial for you and your family as well as for the individual with dementia. A well-rested caregiver is more patient and better equipped to offer the level of care a senior with dementia needs and deserves.

Reach out to CareWorks Health Services, the experts in senior home care in Huntington Beach and nearby areas, at (949) 859-4700 for additional helpful dementia care resources. Working with our dementia care experts can help optimize quality of life for somebody you love.