NY Times today had an article on Alzheimer's without mentioning ....

[defendandprotect]

that it's a spongiform disease of the brain ---



Finding Alzheimer's Before a Mind Fails --- Wed-12/26/07
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/health/26alzheimers.html?ex=1356325200&...

It is a spongiform disease of the brain similiar to Creutzfeldt-Jacob - and both similar to Mad Cow. Evidently, that would have been too big a hint to give to those suffering with the disease or trying to be informed about it.



Here are some leads: ---
http://www.goveg.com/alzheimers_madcow.asp
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn10134-alzheimers-may-seed-itself-like-mad-cow...
http://www.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/08/24/bc.health.madcow.reut
http://www.neuropathology.neoucom.edu
http://www.rense.com/general59/sdme.htm

[MADem]

1. Well, my poor Hindu Vegan neighbor's mama musta been cheatin;' I guess... NT

[Nevernose]

8. Actually, vegan-induced protein deficiency and AD are frequently confused

My step-father was, to paraphrase Dr. Evil, a "militant vegan" since the late 50s/early 60s. By the early 90s, he was diagnosed with everything from CJ to AD to Parkinson's and back again. Turns out that a study I found in the New England Journal found that severe B12 deficiency was often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's.

Apparently, the enzyme that breaks down meat is the same enzyme that breaks down proteins. After years and years of not eating meat, your body decides that it doesn't need that enzyme anymore, and all of the proteins that you WOULD have gotten from spinach and beans and other veggies are no longer processed, because your body no longer produces that enzyme.

To be fair, B12 intravenously didn't work, both the water-based and the cyanide-based forms. I shot him up myself. Turns out that ethnic Jews of Eastern European decent are something like ten times more likely to get neurological disorders. Who knew? :shrug: He had what is now considered to be a subvariant of Alzheimer's. His neurologist -- the recognized leader in the field to this day -- and my mother even cowrote and published an article for the NE Journal of Neurological Medicine.

[MADem]

26. Well, she's not suffering from dementia, was my point. And she's no spring chicken!

She's sharp as a tack and a pain in the ass!

So, ya gotta ask yourself--is she sneaking into Durgin Park and chowing down on a plateful of fried chicken livers every so often, or what?

[pitohui]

38. sounds like she was simply more fortunate in her genetics than the rest of us

the queen mother of england lived to be 101 and was actively going to horse races and living her life almost to the very end, when asked the secret, she advised a pint of gin a day

some people win the lottery too but it ain't much use to the rest of us who are merely mortal

[pitohui]

37. i knew a man with dementia from pernicious anemia

he was not a vegan or a vegetarian, so one can't say he lost the ability to digest meat by his dietary habits (altho i suppose this must occur sometimes as i've heard of other cases as well as just read the post above), in his case and apparently it does happen that some people after age 50 lose the ability to use B12 from their food because of genetics, just as others lose their ability to digest milk around that age

he was stablilized and stopped losing function once he started getting B12 injections but there was no way to recover intelligence already lost

from that experience i learned that when first dx'd with dementia or first seeing symptoms it is good to get a test for pernicious anemia -- this you can do something about, as opposed to alzheimer's where you can't really do anything useful except keep people alive in horrific conditions for the profit of the nursing home (yes i'm bitter because of alzheimer's in the family)

it is not mad cow disease or any relation, mad cow is merciful and knocks the person off in a few months, at most i've heard of someone being kept alive two years without their brain on mad cow disease, i've had helpless family members kept alive for (in one case of a well to do lady) two decades in a nursing home with alzheimer's, it's the one disease where you're better off poor and without care, because you can wander off somewhere and die instead of being tortured for a decade or more

[MannyGoldstein]

2. AD Is Differnet From Mad Cow and C-J, I think.

My understanding is that Mad Cow and Creutzfeldt-Jacob are similar, but Alzheimer's is substantially different. I read some of your links and they don't seem to say otherwise, only that they have some things in common. A chest cold and lung cancer have things in common, but they're fundamentally different from one-another.

[Hekate]

4. Afaik, you are right about that. There *may* be cases of AD that are misdiagnosed, but....

...since the only definitive diagnosis of either AD or C-J comes upon autopsy (again, afaik) we don't seem to have any good statistics about C-J in this country.

The two diseases seeem to be described quite differently. "Placques and tangles" come up when I read about Alzheimer's, and "spongiform" comes up when I read about C-J. The two terms are not interchangeable.

There could be more of it and less of AD -- and as a precaution I've given up eating beef -- but Alzheimer's is truly known as a disease of old age, with the incidence increasing dramatically after age 80. It appears that the brain, like the joints and the heart, is susceptible to "wearing out" with age.

Hekate

[defendandprotect]

6. The NY Times article is saying very little at all ---

keeping an emphasis on the medical methods and family hardship ---

However, they are ALL spongiform diseases of the brain ---

In a sidebar, you might have noticed this:
QUOTE: This series examines the leading causes of illness and death in the United States: heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.UNQUOTE

All of these diseases have connections to animal-products ---

This is NOT a condition of something in the brain wearing out ---
this is about PRIONS which is a genetic marker showing that something has gone wrong
< --- wow, I used to be so familiar with this subject - kinda rusty right now>
and if you read about it, it is quite frightening -- especially when surgery is done!

[uppityperson]

19. AD, COPD and diabetes are related to animal products?

It is thought that AD brain issues are caused by plaques and tangles causing problems, NOT prions. CJ is caused by prions causing problems. Traumatic brain injuries are caused by traumatic injuries.

Prions cause problems when surgery is done, and this leads to alzheimers? WTF?

[defendandprotect]

5. Do you expect that establishment news is going to tell you that it's related to Mad Cow?

There are many sources of info on this on the internet ---
they are ALL spongiform diseases of the brain ---

Let me encourage you to read further -- there is lots of info on the internet ---

[TreasonousBastard]

3. I was under the impression that Alzheiner's is...

characterized by a plaque, not holes eaten into the brain.

Perhaps someone who knows about these things can chime in and clear things up.

[defendandprotect]

7. No -- it's a spongiform disease of the brain ---

like Mad Cow --- like CJ ---

I used to be quite familiar with the subject -- and I was hoping that more people here were familiar
with the connections . . .

These diseases are traceable back to other eras ---

Sadly --- as I hope people here know from the Oprah event re CATTLE being fed other animals ---
this is connected to these practices.

[TreasonousBastard]

9. OK, and I found a cite that an amylid A4 protein...

is probably responsible for the and death destruction of brain cells in Alzheimer's:

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v325/n6106/abs/325733a0.html

That's 20 years old, so there must be a lot of new stuff out there.

Anyway, you're suggesting some sort of link between C-J and Alzheimer's just there's cell destuction and a protein is involved. Such a thing could be possible, but a bit more besides a gnawing feeling might help. Cells can be destroyed for many reasons, and we're subject to vast numbers of odd proteins.

[defendandprotect]

13. PRION is the thing to look for ---

Think about it ---
Mad Cow --- spongiform disease of the brain --- and historically scabies ---
read the history on that

CJ --- spongiform disease of the brain ---

Alzheimer's --- spongiform disease of the brain ---

The PRION is the marker which says genetic damage has occurred ---

[uppityperson]

22. Do you know what a Prion is? NOTa marker of genetic damage. Here's info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prion

A prion (IPA: /ˈpriːɒn/<1>listen (help·info)) — short for proteinaceous infectious particle (-on by analogy to virion) — is an infectious agent composed only of protein. They cause a number of diseases in a variety of animals, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE aka "mad cow disease") in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. All known prion diseases affect the structure of the brain or other neural tissue, and all are currently untreatable and fatal. Mice genetically modified to avoid the symptoms are important models of study.<2> In general usage, prion can refer to both the theoretical unit of infection or the specific protein (e.g., PrP) that is thought to be the infective agent, whether or not it is in an infective state. Prion diseases can result from modification of a host-encoded glycoprotein (i.e. PrP, or "protease-resistant protein") which disrupts normal synaptic function.<3>

Prions are believed to infect and propagate by refolding abnormally into a structure which is able to convert normal molecules of the protein into the abnormally structured form. However, the term in itself does not preclude other mechanisms of transmission. All known prions induce the formation of an amyloid fold, in which the protein polymerizes into a fiber with a core consisting of tightly packed beta sheets. Other mechanisms may exist in yet undiscovered infectious protein particles. This altered structure renders them quite resistant to denaturation by chemical and physical agents, making disposal and containment of these particles difficult; even so, infectivity may be reduced by these treatments to a degree....

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=5047

Prion: A disease-causing agent that is neither bacterial nor fungal nor viral and contains no genetic material. A prion is a protein that occurs normally in a harmless form. By folding into an aberrant shape, the normal prion turns into a rogue agent. It then coopts other normal prions to become rogue prions.

Prions have been held responsible for a number of degenerative brain diseases, including scrapie (a fatal disease of sheep and goats), mad cow disease, Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, fatal familial insomnia, kuru, an unusual form of hereditary dementia known as Gertsmann-Straeussler-Scheinker disease, and possibly some cases of Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Stanley B. Prusiner received the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of prions.

http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Prion

Origin: Proteinaceous Infectious Particle

(microbiology) an Infectious Protein Particle Similar to a Virus But lacking nucleic acid; thought to be the Agent responsible for Scrapie and other Degenerative Diseases of the Nervous system.

The Word, for Proteinaceous Infectious Agent, was coined in 1982 by Neurologist Stanley Prusiner as Part of a Hypothesis regarding Ailments Bearing Aetiologic resemblance to those caused by Slow Viruses (for instance, kuru). The Hypothesis has been borne out by Investigation. Prions are Now believed responsible for several Transmissible Neurodegenerative diseases such as Creutzfeldt-jakob disease (CJD), the Human Form of Mad cow disease.

Prions are Infectious Proteinaceous Particles that Lack Nucleic acid. Prions are said to be in the Border Zone between nonliving and living things because they have No Need to Metabolize or the Capacity to reproduce But they are capable of Replication Within the Body of a Human or of some Mammals.

Prions can Gain Entry Into the Body mainly by Ingestion, e.g. of contaminated Human Growth Hormone or of contaminated Blood or Blood products. Prions may Also Arise from a Mutation in the Gene that encodes the Protein. They not only Fold Into unusual Shapes But Also seem to have the Ability to Cause other (normal) Proteins to alter their Shape as Well.

Since in General the Disease would Show Symptoms only after more than 30 Years the Prions have already accumulated and attacked Nerve cells or Brain Tissues, leaving spongelike Holes. Prion diseases have both Infectious and Hereditary Components. The Gene that Codes for Prions can Mutate and be passed on to the Next Generation. Most of the Diseases Also can be Acquired Directly by Infection, But Unlike other Infectious Agents, Prions provoke No Immune response.

[uppityperson]

24. Here is correct info on scabies... (not spongiform disease, not brain disease, not prion)

http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/DPD/parasites/scabies/factsht_scabies.htm

Scabies is an infestation of the skin with the microscopic mite Sarcoptes scabei. Infestation is common, found worldwide, and affects people of all races and social classes. Scabies spreads rapidly under crowded conditions where there is frequent skin-to-skin contact between people, such as in hospitals, institutions, child-care facilities, and nursing homes....

[Occulus]

42. You very obviously have no clue at all of which you speak

A prion is no kind of "marker" at all, it's a misfolded protein that acts in some very strange ways. The preesence of prions in brain tissue can cause other, normal proteins present nearby to misfold themselves. This isn't the only way they propagate, but from my reading is one of the most well-known methods of propagation.

[Tesha]

33. Give up. They've got their mind set.

> OK, and I found a cite that an amylid A4 protein is
> probably responsible for the and death destruction
> of brain cells in Alzheimer's.

Give up. They've got their mind set and nothing you or
I say will convince them that AD isn't just like CJD.
Luckily, the scientists doing the actual research
aren't quite so dogmatic.

Tesha

[question everything]

11. Just because you keep saying this does not make it true

and I doubt that you've ever been familiar with the subject.

You obviously have developed an opinion which is not based on fact and you are wrong.

I doubt, though, that you will be able to actually search for the facts since you you ignore what many have posted here.

AD IS not CJ.

[defendandprotect]

14. If you look at the info on all the diseases --- Mad Cow, Alzheimer's and CJ . . .

you will find that they are ALL spongiform diseases of the brain ---

[Tesha]

34. So is Anoxia -- remember the Terry Schiavo brain scans?

> If you look at the info on all the diseases --- Mad Cow, Alzheimer's and CJ . . .
> you will find that they are ALL spongiform diseases of the brain ---

So is Anoxia -- remember the Terry Schiavo brain scans?
But just because brain cells die and the brain shrinks,
that doesn't mean there's any shared root cause!

Tesha

[Nevernose]

12. Two different metaphors to describe the same phenomena

What you've got is two different metaphors to describe the same phenomena. The only real differences are in the transmission method and the speed. Alzheimer's is now believed to be largely genetically influenced, while CJ and the "mad cow" variant are passed through food consumption. The "plaque" in the brain might as well be holes, since either way that part isn't working correctly anymore; also, CJ and mad cow tend to affect grey matter before white matter, while the opposite is true in Alzheimer's.

My stepfather was a test patient for the current batch of anti-AD drugs back in late '94 and early '95. He was test patient 201 out of 200, a personal favor of mismanaged meds, but he was already too far gone. He was a little young to get AD, in his early 60s, and being a weightlifting vegan marathon runner was in the best physical condition humanly possible, so that last year was a nightmare of straitjackets, experimental anti-psychotics, and incoherent ramblings. I wish they'd had those drugs five years sooner.

It's kind of hard to believe it's been twelve years since he was finally gone. I am 33 years old, and I already have a living will that says that if I get any kind of neurological disorder, I don't want to be treated, just to make it as painless as possible.

[defendandprotect]

16. And now . . . you see the tie to scabies --- the age old prohibition on feeding animals

to animals ---

At the rate we're being told that these diseases are "genetic" we might soon expect to hear
that they have found the gene for poverty and homelessness---!!!

Again -- these are all spongiform diseases of the brain --

You might also want to look up PRION --- this is the marker which shows that genetic damage has occurred --

The inclubation period for Mad Cow may be as long as 20 years ---
same for humans ---

Sorry to hear about your stepfather . . .
And, I agree with you --- if something like this were to happen to me, I want a cyanide tablet!
Where are those things, anyway?

As a VEGAN it would seem rather confusing as to how such a disease could be passed on to him ---
highly unlikely.

In other countries there are also limitations on various products which include animal products in the processing --- make up, for instance.

Use of animal parts in so many products is really unbelievable ---
I remember reading that someone was questioning why her cat kept licking the plastic wrap that
covered some picnic foods -- and then she discovered that plastic wrap is processed using animal
contents!

If you read about this a little more deeply --- PRIONS, for instance --- you'll find that this
stuff is highly transferrable --- and almost impossible in operating rooms to destroy it.










What you've got is two different metaphors to describe the same phenomena. The only real differences are in the transmission method and the speed. Alzheimer's is now believed to be largely genetically influenced, while CJ and the "mad cow" variant are passed through food consumption. The "plaque" in the brain might as well be holes, since either way that part isn't working correctly anymore; also, CJ and mad cow tend to affect grey matter before white matter, while the opposite is true in Alzheimer's.

My stepfather was a test patient for the current batch of anti-AD drugs back in late '94 and early '95. He was test patient 201 out of 200, a personal favor of mismanaged meds, but he was already too far gone. He was a little young to get AD, in his early 60s, and being a weightlifting vegan marathon runner was in the best physical condition humanly possible, so that last year was a nightmare of straitjackets, experimental anti-psychotics, and incoherent ramblings. I wish they'd had those drugs five years sooner.

It's kind of hard to believe it's been twelve years since he was finally gone. I am 33 years old, and I already have a living will that says that if I get any kind of neurological disorder, I don't want to be treated, just to make it as painless as possible.

[uppityperson]

23. AD is not related to prions. CJ is.

"As a VEGAN it would seem rather confusing as to how such a disease could be passed on to him ---
highly unlikely." AD is not communicable.

[Draill]

30. I think you may mean

scrapie, not scabies.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapie>

[Tesha]

35. Awww, you're just trying to Kwell a good argument!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindane

Tesha

[defendandprotect]

17. And now you see the tie to scabies . . . and the age-old prohibition against feeding animals . . .

to animals ---

At the rate we're being told that these diseases are "genetic" we might soon expect to hear
that they have found the gene for poverty and homelessness---!!!

Again -- these are all spongiform diseases of the brain --

You might also want to look up PRION --- this is the marker which shows that genetic damage has occurred --

to animals ---

The inclubation period for Mad Cow may be as long as 20 years ---
same for humans ---

Sorry to hear about your stepfather . . .
And, I agree with you --- if something like this were to happen to me, I want a cyanide tablet!
Where are those things, anyway?

As a VEGAN it would seem rather confusing as to how such a disease could be passed on to him ---
highly unlikely.

In other countries there are also limitations on various products which include animal products in the processing --- make up, for instance.

Use of animal parts in so many products is really unbelievable ---
I remember reading that someone was questioning why her cat kept licking the plastic wrap that
covered some picnic foods -- and then she discovered that plastic wrap is processed using animal
contents!

If you read about this a little more deeply --- PRIONS, for instance --- you'll find that this
stuff is highly transferrable --- and almost impossible in operating rooms to destroy it.

[uppityperson]

18. Here are a few links, clips. AD does NOT = CJ. Plaques/tangles suspects, not prions

http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp

...The role of plaques and tangles

Two abnormal structures called plaques and tangles are prime suspects in damaging and killing nerve cells. Plaques and tangles were among the abnormalities that Dr. Alois Alzheimer saw in the brain of Auguste D., although he called them different names.

* Plaques build up between nerve cells. They contain deposits of a protein fragment called beta-amyloid (BAY-tuh AM-uh-loyd). Tangles are twisted fibers of another protein called tau (rhymes with “wow”).

* Tangles form inside dying cells. Though most people develop some plaques and tangles as they age, those with Alzheimer’s tend to develop far more. The plaques and tangles tend to form in a predictable pattern, beginning in areas important in learning and memory and then spreading to other regions.

Scientists are not absolutely sure what role plaques and tangles play in Alzheimer’s disease. Most experts believe they somehow block communication among nerve cells and disrupt activities that cells need to survive....

http://www.mamashealth.com/alzheimers.asp

...What causes Alzheimer's?

Alzheimer's is caused by a loss of brain cells, as well as changes in the cerebral cortex (the outer layer of the brain). An accumulation of tangled fibers and/or plaques forms around the nerves in the cerebral cortex. It is unknown why the tangled fibers and plaques develop in the brain.

Research shows that there may be different genetic and nongenetic causes. Some genes cause the disease to appear early in life, while other genes predispose a person to the disease but require a trigger such as stroke, head trauma, or clogged arteries. ...

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/alzheimers/index.html

...Columbia Encyclopedia
Alzheimer's disease (ăls'hī'mərz, ôls–) , degenerative disease of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex that leads to atrophy of the brain and senile dementia. The disease is characterized by abnormal accumulation of plaques and by neurofibrillary tangles (malformed nerve cells), changes in brain tissue first described by Alois Alzheimer in 1906. The plaques result from the release and accumulation of excessive amounts of beta-amyloid proteins, normal proteins whose function in the body is not known. The neurofibrillary tangles prevent transportation of synthesized products within the cell body to organelles and target sites. The plaques and neurofibrillary tangles prevent proper transmission of electrochemical signals necessary for information processing and retrieval. The plaques also suffocate neurons by inhibiting proper blood supplies from reaching them....

http://www.springerlink.com/content/n464435223lx1616/

The ultrastructural study of the cortex of four patients with sporadic or familial AD, of two agematched controls without dementia, and of one normal pressure hydrocephalus, revealed in all the cases in the neuropil only occasional vacuoles which had a morphology similar to those observed in CJD. The degree of spongiform-like changes was, however, far less prominent than in CJD and considered mild in all the cases examined. Moreover, curled fragments of membranes within the vacuoles were not observed. It is suggested that the mild vacuolization of the neuropil occasionally observed in cortical biopsies of AD is a non-specific finding and cannot be considered a neuropathologic link between AD and CJD.

A brain tour: http://www.alz.org/brain/08.asp

[TreasonousBastard]

20. Yes, I saw some of those, but that last is the one...

I was looking for. And I don't have the expertise to properly interpret a lot of the stuff I found.

As I thought, both diseases do exhibit "sponginess" but that does not mean they are at all related.

[pitohui]

39. people who know about these things have also learned its hopeless w. deliberate spreaders of FUD

maybe this poster sincerely believes that mad cow disease and alzheimer's are much the same, in that case, i congratulate that person on their good fortune on never having encountered alzheimer's disease and not having the misfortune to have to actually learn even the tiniest thing about it

alzheimer's disease is not any case caused by diet, mad cow disease is caused by prions in contaminated meat

pernicious anemia, a DIFFERENT form of dementia, MAY be caused by diet, but it MAY be caused by genetics and aging

all dementia is not the same and can't be treated the same, mad cow disease can be prevented by the simple precaution of testing beef before it gets into the market and that's really all that's needed, there is not one goddamn thing you can do to prevent alzheimer's

considering that about 50% of people over age 85 have alzheimer's disease, it is pretty clearly a disease of old age, with your risk rising as you age, however, some people apparently have a genetic factor that causes it to develop much earlier, and alzheimer's brain in a strong body is truly a tragedy for the patient and the family

mad cow is a tragedy too but it is a RARE tragedy that has killed less than 300 people in the world in all time and history, last time i checked the data, most of them in britain or visitors to britain, if you are afraid to eat food because of mad cow, well, you are just always going to find something to be anxious and unhappy about, the world is a big place and there will always be some rare disease to stress over

alzheimer's is simply a different order of magnitude because it is killing countless people and destroying countless families, right now, today, and every day -- this is a genuine and costly threat to patients and families not the boogeyman hiding in the closet

britain was supposed to be emptied by now by mad cow disease, hmmm, somehow never happened, did it? mad cow was WAY overhyped

[Vincardog]

10. Do you think that is why the bushitler maladministration stopped cattle producers from voluntarily

testing to certify their herds as MAD COW free?

[defendandprotect]

15. Ah . . . someone who knows something!!!

It's been a long time since I discussed this subject ---
and obviously it needs some discussion at DU ---

[uppityperson]

21. Thank you for bringing this article to my notice. They didn't say AD is spongiform cause it isn't

Pneumonia and lung cancer are both lung diseases, both can kill, but have different causes. AD and CJ are brain diseases with different causes. Thank you for bringing this article to share, but please don't carry on with inaccurate information. Thank you.

[defendandprotect]

27. Check it out --- Alzheimer's is a "spongiform disease of the brain" --

look it up ---

[uppityperson]

31. I looked it up. It isn't. Here's a link that says otherwise.

Simply repeating "it is! it is!" doesn't give any proof.

Here is an article that says any spongiformity is mild, and no link between AD and CJD.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/n464435223lx1616

The ultrastructural study of the cortex of four patients with sporadic or familial AD, of two agematched controls without dementia, and of one normal pressure hydrocephalus, revealed in all the cases in the neuropil only occasional vacuoles which had a morphology similar to those observed in CJD. The degree of spongiform-like changes was, however, far less prominent than in CJD and considered mild in all the cases examined. Moreover, curled fragments of membranes within the vacuoles were not observed. It is suggested that the mild vacuolization of the neuropil occasionally observed in cortical biopsies of AD is a non-specific finding and cannot be considered a neuropathologic link between AD and CJD.

IF you really want people to become aware, and more research done, better to give accurate information so they don't blow you off.

From your links in OP:
http://www.goveg.com/alzheimers_madcow.asp
Although Dr. Waldman’s theory is relatively new, and no laboratory studies have conclusively identified Alzheimer’s as a prion disease, his research still provides unquestionable links between the consumption of meat and the high prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease.


http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn10134-alzheimers-may-seed-itself-like-mad-cow
He notes that there is no evidence to suggest that beta amyloid alone can accelerate Alzheimer’s-like plaques in mice that are not genetically predisposed to the illness.


http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/08/24/bc.health.madcow.reut/
2000 article: Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia, affecting an estimated 12 million people worldwide. The cause is not known but hallmarks of the disease include messy "tangles" of nerve fibers and "plaques" rich in the amyloid proteins.

CJD is the human version of bovine spongifirm encephalitis (BSE or mad cow disease). It occurs naturally in about one in a million people but a new version linked with eating BSE-infected meat has turned up in Britain.


http://www.neuropathology.neoucom.edu/
cannot load


http://www.rense.com/general59/sdme.htm
many cases of Alzheimer's are Mad Cow. That's my opinion and the facts appear to support it 100%. (article from not reputable source)

[defendandprotect]

32. While denying it, you present evidence that it is --- !!!

Obviously, this subject is going to have to be resurrected when we all have more time to deal with it --

Without checking the source of your links ---

QUOTE: The degree of spongiform-like changes was, however, far less prominent than in CJD and considered mild in all the cases examined.
UNQUOTE

Whether someone wants to suggest "mild" or otherwise --- it is referring to "SPONGIFORM-LIKE CHANGES" . . .

[uppityperson]

45. You are simply stuck, aren't you.

I have a corn on my toe that has spongiform-like changes. It is related to CJD and AD? "without checking the source of your links" You are simply stuck.

[Occulus]

43. Everything you've said on this thread is wrong n/t

[pitohui]

40. thanks uppityperson for your determined defense of science

frankly i'm in a mood of "don't teach a pig to whistle, it wastes your time and annoys the pig" but somebody has to see that these bogus claims don't go uncontested

so thanks for your posts in this thread, very much so

[WHAT]

25. I don't think there's going to be any progress...

on Alzheimer's until there's a clinically accurate way to diagnose it before death/autopsy. I've seen all different kinds of people "diagnosed" w/ad that were actually suffering from other things. The Alzheimer's diagnosis serves as a broad category to lump people in for the purpose of convenience...

Anyway, it's something that really bothers me because you can end-up with all kinds of crap information (and ineffective treatments) when so many things work against an accurate diagnosis. Research for clinical accuracy in diagnosis (some type of lab test rather than ruling-out other possibilities) while the person is still alive is something I would really support because I can't see going forward without this basic first step...from there, research can go forward. It's not accurate when Alzheimer's is just a diagnosis of convenience.

[defendandprotect]

28. Obviously, this is a subject which will have to be resurrected again ---

when there is more time to bring information forward ---

However, it amazes me that we've done nothing but INCREASE our diseases in America ---

and the treatments become more and more invasive --- look at this poor old woman and what she's

being subjected to!! --- and cancer care has largely been "slash and burn" cures --- !!!

With ever rising cancer rates!!!

So -- where is the justification for this trust in American medicine ---

And, btw, we rank something like 37th in the world in our quality of medical care --- !!!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

29. I've seen studies (I don't remember where) linking Alzheimer's to diabetes

My stepfather was diagnosed with AD a few years ago, and it's pretty clear that he has it, since he's showing the classic progression.

However, he was brought up vegetarian (unusual in his day) and never has been a big meat eater.

The only way to settle this question would be to do detailed medical histories on Alzheimer's patients, including their diets throughout their lives.

Otherwise, any statements about diet and Alzheimer's are pure speculation.

[JitterbugPerfume]

36. thanks Lydia--

for being the voice of reason. I read somewhere that AD is actually diabetes3! This is something to think about seriously becuse diabetes2 is highly preventable ( just in case)

[pitohui]

41. it's more than "pure speculation," this person is being cruel to people impacted by this disease

i'm really tired of the cheap hysteria, which is brought out ever so often with a political motive of trying to put people off their food -- the mad cow is alzheimer's Big Lie is all about stopping people from eating beef, it is nothing to do with helping people w. alzheimer's or their families

as far as diabetes and alzheimer's, the two diseases are not even remotely the same disease, diabetes in a great many cases is controlled, not always, but it's at least possible, with alzheimer's, the door only leads one way

no one has ever come back and showed me a person with alzheimer's who ate the magic food and got their brain back, this can't happen, yet i know personally of people once properly dx'd with diabetes who with diet alone or diet/drugs are able to lead great lives -- yes, there's some impact on their mood, but they've got their brain and they can still get out and lead independent lives

anyway, the diet to control diabetes restricts carbs, the diet to avoid mad cow would be to avoid all brain that wasn't tested and all beef that wasn't tested, completely different diets really

[uppityperson]

46. thanks pitohui also. Partially true facts, jumping to inaccurate conclusions.

Cheap hysteria.

[spanone]

44. our media today rarely let's facts get in the way of a good story.