Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

Prevent Alzheimer's Disease
Research has proved that there are various factors which may help in preventing the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is a form of dementia with gradual loss of normal mental functions and severe changes in the personality and emotions.

Scientists have found out that the protein in the brain, called as Prions, have an excellent effect on the brain and can prevent the formation or building up and accumulation of plaque which causes Alzheimer's disease. Professor Nigel Hooper of the Leeds University has come up with this claim after a lot of research and his studies were funded by the Medical Research Council Funds.

Beta Amyloid is a dangerous kind of protein which attaches to other proteins and causes formation of plaques. These plaques then start accumulating on the brain and finally lead to Alzheimer's disease.

Prions are the helpful and normal proteins found in the brain. These Prions get attached to the Beta Amyloid and thus prevent the formation of any dangerous plaque. This Prion-Beta amyloid combination is then excreted out of the body, without any further damage or loss to the body.

Another brain disorder called Creutzfeldt-Jacob variant disorder also causes corruption or pollution of the normal prions in the brain. These normal prions are called as PrionProtein or PrPc and when they get corrupted they lead to this vCJD, or Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. That proves that there is a definite link between the normal functioning of these prions or PrPc and normal brain health.

Also it has been found that when the PrPc levels are quite high, the Beta Amyloid protein is renderd useless and incompetent to produce Alzheimer's disease. The exact mechanism by which these PrPc protects the brain is by secreting a chemical which in turn acts on the enzyme beta-secretase found in the amyloid cells and inhibits the break down of the cells. This break down is necessary to be prevented as the tiny broken up pieces will later on accumulate to form the plaques and finalyy cause Alzheimer's disease.

Another point of verification of the protective role of the PrPc prions is proved by the fact that when these proteins are corrupted, or there is a mutant defect in them, they are rendered useless and is incapable of preventing Amyloid cell break down.

Further studies conducted on laboratory animals, like mice have proved that addition of the extract of the seeds of grape fruit can actually help in preventing Alzheimer's disease. This is due to the effect of certain chemicals found in the seed extract which prevents breakdown of the amyloid cells.