Alzheimer's Disease, Senile Dementia, Memory Loss & Nutrition

Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative disorder of the brain which causes progressive decline in memory and general cognitive abilities. Slowly and inexorably, the disease attacks nerve cells in all parts of the cortex of the brain, as well as some surrounding structures, thereby impairing a person's abilities to govern emotions, recognize errors and patterns, coordinate movement, and remember. At the last, an afflicted person loses all memory and mental functioning. There is no recovery.

Apart from the progressive destruction of nerve cells, a wide range of abnormalities can be seen in the brains of patients who have died from Alzheimer's, including extracellular deposits of amyloid protein and microscopic tangles of fibrils inside nerve cells.

Currently, there is no known cure for Alzheimer's Disease.

Notes

The following supplements may be of benefit, especially in the earlier stages of the disease:

• Bio-Carnosin has many uses and is a strong antioxidant. It has been shown to demonstrate neuro-protective properties and may be a useful supplement for sufferers of Alzheimers Disease.
• Phosphatidylserine has been said to influence changes in the brain that can help alleviate the symptoms of senile dementia related to this disease.
• Antioxidant Complex - The ingredients of this antioxidant complex work synergistically in your body protecting the cells against degeneration. This product is based on the latest research on natural antioxidants and contains antioxidant vitamins and minerals.
• Choose a vitamin B complex containing Folic Acid and Vitamins B6 & B12 which are believed to have an effect in lowering blood homocysteine levels which appear to be associated with higher risks of coronary, cerebral, and peripheral vascular disease as well as dementia (Alzheimer's) and Parkinson's Disease.

• For more information on Alzheimers please visit the News, Links and Research Archive

Alzheimer's, Senile Dementia & Carnosine Therapy

In experiments, treatment with carnosine was found to reduce or completely prevent cell damage caused by beta amyloid, the substance found in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients. Beta amyloid can interact with certain RAGE receptors causing damage to the nerves and arteries of the brain. Carnosine blocks and inactivates beta amyloid, so it protects neural tissues against dementia.

Moreover, carnosine protects the brain cells by fighting the highly toxic alpha, beta-unsaturated aldehyde acrolein which is formed during the peroxidation of polyunsaturated lipids, raising the possibility that it functions as a 'toxicological second messenger' during oxidative cell injury (Burcham et al. 2000).

Recent research also confirms that the toxic unsaturated aldehyde crotonaldehyde (CA) contributes to carbonylation resulting in protein damage during lipid peroxidation (Fontaine et al 2002). As carnosine combats all aldehydes, it offers another explanation for its benefits in prevention of Alzheimer´s disease and other conditions with oxidative stress.

Metal chelation by carnosine may prevent and slow down Alzheimers.

Some laboratory studies have reported excessive amounts of metal ions such as zinc, copper in Alzheimer´s brain. Such ions may possibly change the chemical architecture of normal beta amyloid, making it more harmful. A mildly acidic environment appears to be important in the process that binds these metals to beta amyloid. Experts observe that such conditions (acidic environment and higher levels of zinc and copper) commonly occur as part of the inflammatory response to local injury. Carnosine has the unique ability to chelate copper, zinc and other metals, and to remove them from the body, as explained above in the section Metal Chelation. This may be an important function of carnosine in preventing and slowing down Alzheimer´s and other degenerative brain disorders.

• More about Metal Chelation

MEDLINE data base includes at this writing nine documents on the relationship between carnosine and Alzheimer´s. If you want to read them, search for "carnosine; Alzheimer", and click "go".

• More about Carnosine

Dr Alois Alzheimer
(1864-1915)

Brain scan of an Alzheimer´s
patient. The pink area represents destroyed brain
tissue.

Alzheimer's, Senile Dementia & Phosphatidylserine Therapy

Phosphatidylserine has been said to influence changes in the brain that can help alleviate the symptoms of senile dementia related to this disease,[6-7] such as increasing acetylcholine availability [8] and significantly enhancing brain glucose metabolism.[9]

In one study, 40 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease were assigned to four groups:

• The first group received social support,
• the second cognitive training only,
• the third cognitive training with pyritinol, and the
• fourth cognitive training with Phosphatidylserine.

The patients followed their respective program for six months, and underwent neuropsychological testing and brain imaging (namely positron emission tomography, or PET) to measure cerebral glucose metabolism, prior to and after treatment ended.

Results indicated that the treatment group with cognitive training combined with Phosphatidylserine showed a significant enhancement of glucose uptake during the stimulation tasks in various brain regions-meaning that more brain activity was occurring-and an improvement in cognitive functioning, which translated into better test performance, compared to the other groups.[9]

In 51 patients with Alzheimer's disease, a 12-week treatment with 300 milligrams of Phosphatidylserine resulted in significant improvement in several cognitive functions for the treated group, compared to placebo. Differences were more dramatic among patients with less severe cognitive impairment, suggesting that Phosphatidylserine may be useful in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.[10]

Meanwhile, another study involving 33 patients with early Alzheimer's dementia demonstrated a small but significant improvement with Phosphatidylserine in regards to global enhancement of mental function, as revealed using electroencephalography (EEG) mapping of brain activity.[11]

• More about Phosphatidylserine