New Research Looks at Alzheimer’s as a Possible Autoimmune Disorder

Discovering a cure for Alzheimer’s has grown to be as tangled as the tau threads long thought to be the core cause of the disease. Now, however, research workers may be coming a step closer to unraveling the mystery of Alzheimer’s, by using an alternative train of thought. The latest findings are pointing to the hypothesis of an inflammatory response in the brain, which poses the question: could Alzheimer’s disease really be an autoimmune condition?

Diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and even seasonal allergy sufferers know firsthand the impact of an overactive immune system. In a perfect world, our immunity protects us from viruses, bacteria, and other infections that need to be eliminated. However, with an autoimmune disorder, antibodies attack healthy, non-invasive cells, triggering inflammation and other undesirable effects.

In earlier Alzheimer’s disease studies, those notorious amyloid plaques have been the focus. Yet we also recognize that even in healthy brains, those plaques are present and are hypothesized to carry out some form of helpful function. The immune system concentrates on these plaques, destroying them and possibly healthy cells in the process: indicative of a potential autoimmune response.

This unconventional new strategy to researching and formulating treatment options for Alzheimer’s has earned lead author of the research, Don Weaver, MD, PhD, of the Krembil Brain Institute, the 2022 Oskar Fischer Prize, which “recognizes innovative ideas in Alzheimer’s research that look beyond prevailing theories.”

For the rest of us, this research offers optimism that a cure for the condition that affects so many could be around the corner. Until then, turn to Home Sweet Home In-Home Care, a trusted provider of home care in Portage, MI and the surrounding communities, for skilled, creative, and compassionate Alzheimer’s care services that help individuals with Alzheimer’s disease continue to live to their fullest potential in the homes they love. We’re adept in helping those with dementia and the families who love them to better deal with some of the more distressing aspects of the disease, such as:

• Wandering and wanting to go “home”
• Aggression, agitation, and other difficult and strong emotions
• Increased unease in the late afternoon and evening hours (sundowning)
• Repetitive behaviors and conversations
• Memory loss
• And more

We will partner with your family to provide as much or as little care as needed to provide you with the breaks from caregiving you need for your own health and wellbeing. After all, caring for a person with dementia is never a single-person endeavor, especially as the disease advances. Taking time away to care for yourself and to recharge is incredibly important for you and your family as well as for the person you love with dementia. A well-rested caregiver is more patient and better prepared to provide the level of care a senior with dementia needs and deserves.

Reach out to us at (866) 229-2505 for more helpful dementia care resources, and to schedule a complimentary in-home consultation to learn more about how our dementia care experts can help optimize quality of life for someone you love.