A tremendous social and economic burden on modern society could be imposed by Alzheimer's disease, the primary cause of dementia in the elderly. In Japan, the burden of the disease in 2050 is estimated to be a half a trillion US dollars, a figure equivalent to the government's annual revenues.
Unfortunately, it has proven very difficult to develop drugs capable of ameliorating the disease. After a tremendous burst of progress in the 1990s, the pace of discoveries has slowed. Dr. Saido believes that part of the difficulty is the inadequacy of current mouse models to replicate the real conditions of Alzheimer's disease and allow an understanding of the underlying mechanisms that lead to neurodegeneration. In fact, much of the research in Alzheimer's disease over the past decade may be flawed, as it was based on unrealistic models.
Clue to Caffeine Benefit on Alzheimer's Found in Lab
Evidence has been found in the lab by French and German researchers on Wednesday, to back theories that drinking caffeine has a preventive effect on Alzheimer's disease.
The problem with older mouse models is that they overexpress a protein called amyloid precursor protein, or APP, which gives rise to the amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides that accumulate in the brain, eventually leading to the neurodegeneration that characterizes Alzheimer's disease. However, in mice the overexpression of APP gives rise to effects which are not seen in human Alzheimer's disease.
Source: Eurekalert
Redesigning Systems of Care for Alzheimer's Disease Patients
In the United States, the number of older adults with dementia is forecast to more than double over the next 40 years.
 Coffee Consumption Wards Off Alzheimer's DiseaseCaffeine has a positive effect on tau deposits in Alzheimer's disease, say researchers. | Advertisement
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