According to "Economist", some Dr Carracas from University of Madrid, noticed that patient with dementia and alzheimer have fungal infections in blood vessels of brain, this is prove to be positively correlate, ( I can not find a paper yet of this study, only review article on nonacademic newspaper)
Is this idea even plausible enough to be considered significant?
Role of Infection in Alzheimer's Ignored, Experts Say
Nancy A. Melville
| March 18, 2016
The potentially critical role of infection in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease is largely neglected, despite decades of robust evidence from hundreds of human studies, as well as the possible therapeutic implications, experts say.
"Despite all the supportive evidence, the topic [of linking infections to Alzheimer's disease] is often dismissed as 'controversial,' " the authors of an editorial, signed by an international group of 33 researchers and clinicians, write.
Chicken or the Egg?
Commenting on the editorial for Medscape Medical News, Richard B. Lipton, MD, Edwin S. Lowe Professor, vice chair of neurology, and director of the Division of Cognitive Aging and Dementia at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, applauded the effort to raise awareness of the issue.
"The authors are to be commended for reminding us of the hypothesis that infection may contribute to Alzheimer's disease," he told Medscape Medical News.
He noted the variety of genetic and environmental factors that can influence onset and progression of complex disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
"For Alzheimer's disease, most people would agree that cardiovascular risk factors, traumatic brain injury, and stress increase risk of disease," he said.
"It is entirely plausible that infectious agents may be one of many factors that contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Infectious agents could operate through several mechanisms."
The evidence does not necessarily prove a causative role, he added.
"Temporality means that infection precedes disease," he said. "The studies showing infectious and inflammatory markers in the Alzheimer's brain don't tell us which came first. Alzheimer's disease could be a state which predisposes to infection."
The editorialists' financial disclosures are available online. Dr Lipton has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
J Alzheimers Dis. Published online March 8, 2016. Editorial
thank you Marianna, but now it is more confusing, is there any chance to prove that fungi cause Alchaimer?
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