Alzheimer’s disease may start in other parts of the body before reaching the brain, new research reveals. The Molecular Psychiatry journal published the results of the Study by the University of British Columbia highlighting Weihong Song’s findings which established that while the Alzheimer’s is primarily a brain’s disease, people must understand their whole body, where the disease came from, and how to end it.

Parabiosis, a surgical technique of joining specimens to share one source of blood supply, was used throughout the research

Mice, under the family that does not usually have Alzheimer’s, were joined with genetically modified mice through parabiosis.

The latter kind has been initially examined to be abundant of amyloid beta, the kind of protein that is characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. At the end of the research, the normal mice were found to have developed the nervous system disease with damages in other brain parts.

The typical Alzheimer’s disease protein houses in the blood platelets, muscles, and blood vessels. Previous research about the disease has not established if the same kind of protein found outside the brain is a major causative factor in developing Alzheimer’s. However, Song’s recent findings have revealed that amyloid beta outside the brain can contribute to the development of it.

According to Song, the lead author, aging weakens the blood-brain barrier through the years.

When this happens, more amyloid beta can get into the brain thereby speeding the physiologic deterioration process.

Alzheimer’s Association is the world’s leading nonprofit Alzheimer’s disease research funder

The need for research funding is greater now more than ever. The entire research process and the introduction of more treatment options cost a lot, says Alzheimer’s Association.

Dr. Bill Thies, the senior scientist of the association, educates residents and their support systems that people who are diagnosed with it do not die rapidly. For most of them, they develop the disease and live through it for many more years.

While the geriatric population grows in number swiftly, the younger population is exactly the opposite.

In the longer perspective, the older American population may not be properly attended by their younger family members. Dr. Thies further explains that the scenario is unlikely to be pleasant for the future, especially if the degenerating disease is not met half-way through better and more effective treatment options.

In the United States, five million people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It is a brain disease that is characterized by declining brain functions. The disease has killed more patients than either prostate and breast cancers. Alzheimer’s disease typically develops in people 65 years old and older.
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