Could Alzheimer’s disease be an autoimmune disorder?Finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease has proven to be as complicated as the tau threads long thought to be the underlying cause of the disease. However, researchers may now be getting closer to unraveling the puzzle of Alzheimer’s disease, by using another train of thought. New findings are pointing to the potential of an inflammatory reaction in the brain, which raises the question: could Alzheimer’s disease actually be an autoimmune disorder?
Seasonal allergy, rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn’s disease sufferers know firsthand the effects of an overactive immune system. Ideally, viruses, bacteria, and other infections wouldn’t stand a chance against our immune systems. However, with an autoimmune disorder, antibodies attack healthy, non-invasive cells, generating inflammation and other unpleasant effects.
In previous Alzheimer’s disease research, those infamous amyloid plaques have been the focus. Yet we also know that even in healthy brains, those plaques are present and are thought to carry out some type of helpful function. Our immune systems target these plaques, eliminating them, as well as potentially healthy cells: an indication of a possible autoimmune response.
This alternative new approach to researching and formulating 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.”
As for everyone else, it presents the encouraging chance of finding a cure for the disease. For the time being, turn to JFS Care for skilled, creative, and compassionate dementia care services that help people with Alzheimer’s disease continue to live to their fullest potential in the homes they love. Our caregivers are experienced in helping those with dementia and the families who love them to better manage some of the more troubling aspects of the disease, including:
• Agitation, aggression, and other strong and difficult emotions
• Wandering and requesting to go “home”
• Repetitive conversations and behaviors
• Increased discomfort in the late afternoon and evening hours (sundowning)
• Memory problems
• And more
We will work with your family to provide as little or as much care as needed to provide you with the breaks from caregiving you need for your own overall health. After all, providing care for a loved one with dementia is never a one-person endeavor, especially as the disease advances. Taking time away for self-care and to recharge is extremely beneficial for you and your family as well as for the individual with dementia. A well-rested care provider is more patient and better prepared to offer the level of care a person with dementia needs and deserves.
Contact us online or at 213-383-2273 for additional helpful Alzheimer’s care resources, and to request a free in-home meeting to learn more about how our home care services in Los Angeles and the nearby areas can help improve quality of life for a person you love.