Immune System Dysfunction Causing Alzheimer's (?)

[Wayne]

Since immune system dysfunction is such a prominent feature of ME/CFS, this news article made me wonder if this particular immune related dysfunction could be responsible for some of our symptoms.

US Scientists Discover New Potential Cause of Alzheimer's

"When conducting experiments in mice, researchers observed that cells of the immune system that normally protect the brain instead begin to consume a vital nutrient called arginine. -- By blocking this process with a drug, experts were able to hinder the formation of 'plaques' in the brain and halted memory loss in the mice."

The drug that was used to block the body's immune response to arginine -known as difluoromethylornithine (DFMO)- is already being tested in drug trials for certain types of cancer and may be a potential Alzheimer's therapy.​

 

[Bob]

FYI, there's another thread on this, here:
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...ld-be-prevented-by-immune-system-tweak.36861/

 

[Mary]

@Wayne - There's a well-established link between diabetes and Alzheimer's - one researcher called Alzheimer's diabetes of the brain. And I just googled "diabetes arginine" and found that arginine can be very helpful with type 2 diabetes: http://www.healthline.com/health-ne...-diet-could-help-treat-type-2-diabetes-091213

So I'm wondering if this immune system malfunction which contributes to Alzheimer's is connected to blood sugar and diabetes, particularly in light of the arginine connection.

 

[Wayne]

There's a well-established link between diabetes and Alzheimer's - one researcher called Alzheimer's diabetes of the brain. And I just googled "diabetes arginine" and found that arginine can be very helpful with type 2 diabetes: -- So I'm wondering if this immune system malfunction which contributes to Alzheimer's is connected to blood sugar and diabetes, particularly in light of the arginine connection.

Hi @Mary,

Good thoughts on all of this. I believe it's David Perlmutter (author of Grain Brain) who refers to dementia as diabetes type III. Very interesting that arginine can be very helpful with type 2 diabetes.

 

[taniaaust1]

Interesting, thanks for posting this. I have quite a few double copies of mutations around arginine when going though my rarer 23andME mutations. My brain is shocking, its quite disabiling in my day to day life stuff. My brain is so bad that I often wonder if I also could be getting Alzheimers (my 23andME test told me I was in a high risk group due to other genes).