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Antioxidants & Inflammation of Alzheimer's

May 23, 2011 | By Robert DiPardo
Antioxidants & Inflammation of Alzheimer's
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Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disease that gradually leads to loss of memory and mental function. While scientists don't know the exact cause of Alzheimer's, they believe that it emanates from a confluence of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. Research over the past 10 years, however, has indicated that inflammation of nerve cells in the brain may be another factor in the generation of the disease. In addition, scientists have found that antioxidants may have a place in future treatments for Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's Disease

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in people over the age of 65. Symptoms start with memory loss and confusion, and as the disease continues to destroy nerve cells in the brain, the patient suffers behavior and personality changes. Two prominent features in the brain of an Alzheimer's patient are the formation of beta-amyloid plaques in areas between nerve cells, and the appearance of neurofibrillary tangles inside the nerve cells. The plaques are clumps of protein fragments, and the tangles are twisted fibers of a protein called tau.

Role of Inflammation

In an article in the February 2005 issue of "The International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology," researchers state that neuroinflammation plays a part in the development of Alzheimer's disease. The scientists point out that two types of non-neural brain cells generate beta-amyloid plaque and this, in turn, sets in motion a neuroinflammatory process that is part of the development of Alzheimer's disease. In an article in the April-May 2006 issue of the "International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience," researchers hypothesize that the reason patients who take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for a long time have a decreased risk of getting Alzheimer's disease is because these drugs may activate a receptor that can control the inflammation induced by beta-amyoid plaque.

Role of Antioxidants

Antioxidants are compounds that can protect cells from oxidative stress, the damage caused by free radicals. In Alzheimer's disease, oxidative stress arises from factors that include free radicals produced by beta-amyloid plaque and plaque-induced inflammation, according to researchers reporting in the May 2002 issue of "The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society." If this oxidative stress is partly responsible for the cognitive decline of Alzheimer's disease, then treatment with antioxidants to neutralize the free radicals may be a way to stem the progression of the disease. Evidence to support the value of antioxidant therapy can be found in the September 21, 2005, issue of "The Journal of Neuroscience." Here researchers disclose that in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, a potent antioxidant found in green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, can lower levels of beta-amyloid plaque. Reducing beta-amyloid levels may also reduce the inflammation associated with Alzheimer's disease because beta-amyloid plaque is a pro-inflammatory substance.

Potential Alzheimer's Treatment

In the February 18, 2005, issue of "The Journal of Biological Chemistry," researchers describe their experiments with the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory curry pigment, curcumin. Using mice genetically engineered to have Alzheimer's disease, the scientists found that orally administered curcumin reduced not only the oxidative damage and inflammation associated with the disease, but also the level of amyloid plaque. They believe that curcumin should be tested in clinical trials as a potential drug for the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

References

Article reviewed by Craig Gaines Last updated on: May 23, 2011

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