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December 14, 2001
Researchers from Utrecht, Netherlands have determined the role played by immune system brain cells located close to dying memory cells. The research may help determine the causes of Alzheimer’s disease.
In patients with Alzheimer’s disease, brain cells die. The death of these neurons takes place primarily in the vicinity of plaques. These plaques are lumps of the protein amyloid beta. The research shows that amyloid beta from the plaques stimulates the surrounding cells to produce CC chemokines. In laboratory experiments, these substances attract new surrounding cells.
Two types of brain cells are found near the plaques. The first is a brain macrophage. Brain macrophages form part of the brain’s immune system and normally destroy bacteria and waste products. The Utrecht research shows that the amyloid beta protein from the plaques causes the brain macrophages to produce toxic substances. These substances, oxygen radicals and compounds that promote inflammation, cause the brain cells to die.
The other type of surrounding brain cell is called an astrocyte. These star-shaped cells are normally involved in maintaining the structure of the brain. The role of the astrocytes in Alzheimer’s disease is unclear. Laboratory experiments have shown that astrocytes do not produce toxic substances and they in fact slow down macrophage activity.
About 180,000 people in the Netherlands suffer from some kind of dementia. Of these, 130,000 have Alzheimer’s disease. By the year 2050, the number of patients with Alzheimer’s disease will have passed the 300,000 mark. That is equivalent to 1 in every 60 people in the country.
Alzheimer’s disease leads to generalized atrophy of brain tissue. Patients first lose their short-term memory, which is followed by changes in their behavior, such as wandering and agitation. At a later stage, patients can no longer talk and are unable to recognize faces. They eventually require constant care.
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