A study recently in the Alzheimer's and Dementia Journal reviewed previous studies in a bid to find a link between different infections and Alzheimer's.
One bacterium the researchers have stumbled upon is the Chlamydia Pneumoniae, believed to be the cause of 10 to 20 percent of pneumonia cases outside of hospital related infections. The team discovered in one autopsy-based study that the Chlamydia bacteria was in 90 percent of the brains of 19 Alzheimer's sufferers, but was only in 5 percent of people with no Alzheimer's disease.
Another study pinpointed its location near the amyloid plaques, a typical feature of brains suffering from Alzheimer's. While there is no cause-and-effect connection between the bacteria and the disease, the evidence suggests having that microbes may make people more vulnerable to Alzheimer's.
Another virus linked with Alzheimer's is the Herpes simplex virus which caused cold sores. A study showed Alzheimer's patients had APOE-4, a gene identified as a risk factor for degenerative brain condition.
Dr. Verhoeff the lead researcher used the analogy of the cold sore to show the effect on an infection on developing a disease previously suffered by a person. "Whenever your immune system is compromised, those cold sores come back... We think that some infections can really increase the chance someone could develop Alzheimer's if the person already has other predisposing factors."
This re-iterates what I have said in The Alzheimer's Alternative (http://www.alzheimersalternative.com) about the importance of preventative care – keeping up with your exercise eating well and taking your vitamins (especially the B complex as these help to prevent nerve damage and are particularly useful in stopping cold sores).
Dr. Steffan H. Abel D.C. has been involved in Chiropractic and healthcare research for over 20 years. He has run his own successful practice in the north of England for the last 19 years. During which time he has treated over 10,000 patients and given over 100,000 treatments. He has lectured and taught extensively in both Europe and America to students, chiropractors and medical doctors.
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He has studied Hypnotherapy, N.L.P. and qualified as a Life Coach. He has also studied various Chiropractic-based treatments (gaining a M.Sc. in post graduate Clinical Chiropractic in 2003) as well as energy therapies such as Seichem and Reiki. In 2001 he became a Fellow of the College of Chiropractors and a Fellow of the Association of Osteomyology and in 2007 became a Fellow of the European Academy of Chiropractic.
In his spare time he spends between 15 and 25 hours per week researching all areas of “alternative” and allopathic healthcare in order to bring the best advice to his patients through his practice and writing and has just finished his latest book The Alzheimer's Alternative (www.alzheimersalternative.com). When not working he is to be found enjoying life with Sue, his partner, – whom he loves tremendously!