Post updated 3/1/24; Why Is There Still No Cause And No Cure For Alzheimer’s? And Could It Be Related To An Infection?

Written by Amanda Thornton MSN, BSN, RN, CIC, VA-BC

Although Alzheimer’s disease was first discovered in 1906, modern research into the cause of the disease did not start in earnest until the 1970’s (1). In 1980 the Alzheimer’s association was founded, which has played a key role in both raising awareness of the disease and advocating for advancements in research. Of all forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s is the most common. The 2020 Alzheimer’s facts and figures reports tells us that over 6 million Americans are living with this devastating disease, and by 2050 it is projected that number will increase to 12.7 million. It is known that although deaths from other diseases such as heart disease have decreased over time, Alzheimer’s is the opposite, increasing a whopping 145% since the year 2000 (2).

I have often lamented that we still do not know what causes Alzheimers, even though it affects so many people, and is such a serious and deadly disease. A person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s survives on average only four to eight years after diagnosis. Alzheimer’s disease kills more people than prostate cancer and breast cancer combined!!! Among people age 70, 61% of those with Alzheimer's dementia are expected to die before the age of 80 compared with 30% of people without Alzheimer's — a rate twice as high (2). Why have there been no definitive findings on what causes this? It is elusive and wiley to be sure, and very frustrating for researchers.

There is still no cure because there is still no understanding of the true causative agent of the disease, even though untold millions have been poured into research. The thinking is that there may be many contributing factors to developing Alzheimer’s, including lifestyle, genetic, and environmental reasons. However, as research continues, there is more and more evidence pointing to potentially infectious sources, such as a viruses or a bacteria. Originally, research theorizing this was dismissed, but now researchers are looking at it with fresh eyes.

The majority of research into the causative agent of Alzheimer’s has focused on the idea that clumps of amyloid proteins form plaques and tangles on the neurons in the brain, causing inflammation and cell death. These can fairly easily be seen on post mortem exams, and also on PET scans when patients are alive. However, the presence of such proteins does not always determine that a person will FOR SURE have dementia, and the actual REASON for the buildup of the proteins is still not clear…..there are lots of different theories around this. Is it purely genetic? Is it an allergy to a food or chemical compound? Is it a reaction to a drug? Could it be linked to other conditions like cancer or infections?

It was not thought that an infectious theory could easily go hand in hand with the amyloid theory, but now researchers are reconsidering. It is now more commonly thought that it is possible the proteins are a protective immune reaction following any number of causative infections including pneumonia, herpes, and even gingivitis (3).

Much more research is needed around this field of study in the fight against this disease. If the infectious theory proves to be true, treating and preventing infections will become a key way to prevention of this devastating disease, especially if we are able to link it to some specific infections that are treatable.

In the mean time, cleanliness in the home as well as continued personal hygiene for the person with dementia is always a good idea. After all, without a doubt, every major national and international organization would agree that washing your hands is the number one way to prevent the spread of infection! Having pre-moistened hand hygiene wipes available for the person with dementia is a great idea because they do not have to get up and use the sink, yet it provides the same level of hand hygiene as soap and running water do as it physically removes dirt and soil, unlike alcohol gel (4).

The following is a direct quote from an article specifically referring to a a potential infectious reason behind this disease:

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX IN ALZHEIMER’S

DISEASE: COULD INFECTION BE THE ANSWER

B. Balin, C. Hammond, C. Little, S. Hingley, D. Appelt,

Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College

of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

New concepts of infectious disease are evolving especially

with the development of progressive chronic diseases

that originally were not thought to be infectious. Infection

is well-known to be associated with numerous neurological

diseases. What has remained unclear, however, has been the

role of infection in the development of chronic neurodegenerative

diseases. In this regard, numerous studies over the

past 25 years have investigated an association between various

infectious agents and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most

prevalent condition accounting for dementia in the elderly.

Of the pathogens being considered, Herpes Simplex Virus 1

(HSV-1), Borrelia species, and Chlamydia pneumoniae have

garnered significant attention. Work from other laboratories

on systemic infections has also led to further interest in the

role that infection may play in the neurodegenerative process

in older populations. Data from all of these investigations

have led to a renewed interest in investigating the role(s) of

pathogens in the etiology of sporadic late-onset AD.

1. https://www.alzforum.org/timeline/alzheimers-disease#1974

2. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures

3. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/risk-factors-and-prevention/infections-and-dementia

4. Sani-Hands wipes available on amazon; https://pdihc.com/products/patient-care/sani-hands-instant-hand-sanitizing-wipes/, https://www.amazon.com/PDI-Healthcare-Sani-Hands-Instant-Sanitizing/dp/B073WCMP43/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=pdi+sani-hands+wipes&qid=1645551974&sr=8-7