• Log in with Facebook Log in with Twitter Log In with Google      Sign In    
  • Create Account
  LongeCity
              Advocacy & Research for Unlimited Lifespans

Photo
* * * * * 1 votes

The Myth of Alzheimer's Disease


  • Please log in to reply
37 replies to this topic

#1 gavrilov

  • Guest
  • 341 posts
  • 9
  • Location:Chicago, USA

Posted 29 December 2007 - 03:46 AM


Greetings,

Amazingly, a new book is coming out next week, which says that the Alzheimer's Disease is just a myth:

The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis
by Peter J. Whitehouse, Daniel George
http://tinyurl.com/3a6d5o

The authors claim that there is no a singular disease, but rather there are many very different kinds of brain failures with age, which are inappropriately named by one and the same term -- the Alzheimer's Disease.

Any experts here to comment?

Kind regards,

-- Leonid Gavrilov, Ph.D.
Website: http://longevity-science.org/
Blog: http://longevity-science.blogspot.com/
My books: http://longevity-sci....org/Books.html

#2 Mind

  • Life Member, Director, Moderator, Treasurer
  • 18,997 posts
  • 2,000
  • Location:Wausau, WI

Posted 29 December 2007 - 01:18 PM

I am no expert, but from what I have read it seems as though Alzheimer's is just an amped-up fast-forward version of regular brain aging. What I have observed among the people I know (or have known) is similar to The Nuns of Mankato study. People who exercise their mind and body seem to stave off the affects of Alzheimer's and brain aging in general.
  • Disagree x 2

#3 Spiral Architect

  • Guest
  • 79 posts
  • 1

Posted 29 December 2007 - 02:10 PM

Well, not ALL age-related brain failures are called AD. It's true that there are many forms of AD and that they're all likely a cause of the brain aging - i.e. a few systems that can't keep up anymore and a loss of the balance that is required for maintaining proper neuronal communication (among other things).
The thing is, once one of these systems breaks down, many things that rely on it also get out of control and the way down is fast and tends to look similar and with similar results no matter how it began.

Edited by Kane, 29 December 2007 - 06:41 PM.


sponsored ad

  • Advert

#4 missminni

  • Guest
  • 1,857 posts
  • 27
  • Location:NYC

Posted 29 December 2007 - 04:32 PM

My mom died from Alzheimers in 1999 after being diagnosed 14 years earlier. I knew it was a myth the whole time. It breaks my heart that I wasn't allowed to help her with supplements because the "good doctors" filled my fathers head with such nonsense and convinced him I would hurt her with them. Of course now he is only to willing to take all the supplements I recommend. When I remind him of my mom and how he wouldn't let me help her, he asks me to forgive his ignorance. It's so sad.
ETA~BTW all it is is plaque on the nerve endings that prevents the messages from being transmitted and the eventual breakdown of bodily functions. My mom knew everything that was going on, she just couldn't communicate. She was an angel. She died in my arms kissing my lips. She passed with the most beautiful sigh and as she passed she glowed. The hospice nurse fell to the ground and said she saw a miracle. The room smelled like flowers. All you doctors and scientists out there, chew on that.

Edited by caliban, 29 July 2014 - 03:06 AM.


#5 Spiral Architect

  • Guest
  • 79 posts
  • 1

Posted 29 December 2007 - 04:44 PM

Greetings,

Amazingly, a new book is coming out next week, which says that the Alzheimer's Disease is just a myth:

The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis
by Peter J. Whitehouse, Daniel George
http://tinyurl.com/3a6d5o

The authors claim that there is no a singular disease, but rather there are many very different kinds of brain failures with age, which are inappropriately named by one and the same term -- the Alzheimer's Disease.

Any experts here to comment?

Kind regards,

-- Leonid Gavrilov, Ph.D.
Website: http://longevity-science.org/
Blog: http://longevity-science.blogspot.com/
My books: http://longevity-sci....org/Books.html


My mom died from Alzheimers in 1999 after being diagnosed 14 years earlier. I knew it was a myth the whole time. It breaks my heart that I wasn't allowed to help her with supplements because the "good doctors" filled my fathers head with such nonsense and convinced him I would hurt her with them. Of course now he is only to willing to take all the supplements I recommend. When I remind him of my mom and how he wouldn't let me help her, he asks me to forgive his ignorance. It's so sad.
ETA~BTW all it is is plaque on the nerve endings that prevents the messages from being transmitted and the eventual breakdown of bodily functions. My mom knew everything that was going on, she just couldn't communicate. She was an angel. She died in my arms kissing my lips. She passed with the most beautiful sigh and as she passed she glowed. The hospice nurse fell to the ground and said she saw a miracle. The room smelled like flowers. All you doctors and scientists out there, chew on that.


What supplements?

#6 missminni

  • Guest
  • 1,857 posts
  • 27
  • Location:NYC

Posted 29 December 2007 - 04:59 PM

Greetings,

Amazingly, a new book is coming out next week, which says that the Alzheimer's Disease is just a myth:

The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis
by Peter J. Whitehouse, Daniel George
http://tinyurl.com/3a6d5o

The authors claim that there is no a singular disease, but rather there are many very different kinds of brain failures with age, which are inappropriately named by one and the same term -- the Alzheimer's Disease.

Any experts here to comment?

Kind regards,

-- Leonid Gavrilov, Ph.D.
Website: http://longevity-science.org/
Blog: http://longevity-science.blogspot.com/
My books: http://longevity-sci....org/Books.html


My mom died from Alzheimers in 1999 after being diagnosed 14 years earlier. I knew it was a myth the whole time. It breaks my heart that I wasn't allowed to help her with supplements because the "good doctors" filled my fathers head with such nonsense and convinced him I would hurt her with them. Of course now he is only to willing to take all the supplements I recommend. When I remind him of my mom and how he wouldn't let me help her, he asks me to forgive his ignorance. It's so sad.
ETA~BTW all it is is plaque on the nerve endings that prevents the messages from being transmitted and the eventual breakdown of bodily functions. My mom knew everything that was going on, she just couldn't communicate. She was an angel. She died in my arms kissing my lips. She passed with the most beautiful sigh and as she passed she glowed. The hospice nurse fell to the ground and said she saw a miracle. The room smelled like flowers. All you doctors and scientists out there, chew on that.


What supplements?

For openers pregnenolone. They told my dad it would give her cancer, since she had colon cancer in 1964, and had a colostomy but never had another incidence of cancer again. In fact we now wonder if she ever had it all.

#7 eternaltraveler

  • Guest, Guardian
  • 6,471 posts
  • 155
  • Location:Silicon Valley, CA

Posted 29 December 2007 - 05:12 PM

of course alzheimer's disease isn't a myth. It has very characteristic brain lesions.

#8 Mind

  • Life Member, Director, Moderator, Treasurer
  • 18,997 posts
  • 2,000
  • Location:Wausau, WI

Posted 29 December 2007 - 05:25 PM

of course alzheimer's disease isn't a myth. It has very characteristic brain lesions.


Many of the subjects in the Nuns Study had the characteristic plaques and lesions but did not show outward signs (diminished mental capacity/memory) of Alzheimer's. The researchers speculated that their brains remained more plastic and were able to rewire around the malfunctioning areas. Of course, there are still plaques and lesions, things to be fixed, however, there seems to be more than meets the eye, or more than conventional thinking.

#9 missminni

  • Guest
  • 1,857 posts
  • 27
  • Location:NYC

Posted 29 December 2007 - 05:30 PM

of course alzheimer's disease isn't a myth. It has very characteristic brain lesions.


The only myth is the myth of the doctor.
BTW~I contend that one of the causes of so called alzheimers is the unbelievable amount of psychotropic drugs prescribed by doctors so liberally since the 1960's, my mom being a victim of this practice. I questioned a research doctor at John Hopkins (he knew my mom from a research program she was in earlier) about this in 1988 or 89 and asked if there was any research done to determine this and he said no. They never even asked their alzheimers patients about this when they did interviews for the clinical research trials. They were trying nicotine gum at the time of my moms participation. He opined that since the drug companies financed the research projects, they might not want to discover they were culpable. Sound familiar? Do I sound bitter? I am!

Edited by missminni, 29 December 2007 - 05:33 PM.


#10 Spiral Architect

  • Guest
  • 79 posts
  • 1

Posted 29 December 2007 - 06:44 PM

For openers pregnenolone. They told my dad it would give her cancer, since she had colon cancer in 1964, and had a colostomy but never had another incidence of cancer again. In fact we now wonder if she ever had it all.


How would that help?

Why do you think psychotropic drugs have anything to do with AD?

#11 missminni

  • Guest
  • 1,857 posts
  • 27
  • Location:NYC

Posted 29 December 2007 - 07:35 PM

For openers pregnenolone. They told my dad it would give her cancer, since she had colon cancer in 1964, and had a colostomy but never had another incidence of cancer again. In fact we now wonder if she ever had it all.


How would that help?

Why do you think psychotropic drugs have anything to do with AD?


Well, you can just read the description of a psychotropic drug and figure that out. It's called common sense.

http://en.wikipedia....ychoactive_drug
A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behavior.

As to your question about pregnenolone,

http://www.nida.nih....6/Compound.html
In addition to testing PRE-084, the researchers also investigated the effects of three hormones - dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and pregnenolone sulfate, both of which are secreted by the adrenal glands, and the female sex hormone progesterone - on the memory of the Alzheimer-type mice. The scientists found that DHEA and pregnenolone sulfate improved both short-term and long-term memory, just as PRE-084 did. Progesterone, on the other hand, had minimal effects on its own but blocked the memory enhancing-effects of DHEA and pregnenolone sulfate.



#12 Spiral Architect

  • Guest
  • 79 posts
  • 1

Posted 29 December 2007 - 07:55 PM

Everything you do "alters brain function". Is there any evidence that psychotropic drugs, or even one of them in particular, actually contribute to the onset of AD?

#13 missminni

  • Guest
  • 1,857 posts
  • 27
  • Location:NYC

Posted 29 December 2007 - 08:25 PM

Everything you do "alters brain function". Is there any evidence that psychotropic drugs, or even one of them in particular, actually contribute to the onset of AD?

The problem is, as I mentioned in my previous post, there has been no research done in this regard
as the doctor at John Hopkins so candidly explained the probable reason as being.

I questioned a research doctor at John Hopkins (he knew my mom from a research program she was in earlier) about this in 1988 or 89 and asked if there was any research done to determine this and he said no. They never even asked their alzheimers patients about this when they did interviews for the clinical research trials. They were trying nicotine gum at the time of my moms participation. He opined that since the drug companies financed the research projects, they might not want to discover they were culpable.

Actually, I am now going to search and see if any studies have been done in the
past 20 years since my conversation with him.


BTW I have heard this mentioned before, that the onset of AD is sometimes brought about by a head injury.
My mom was in an automobile accident where she hit her head and had whiplash that became a chronic ailment. Aside form
the numerous painkillers, she had a therapy done by some chinese doctors at Long Island Jewish Hospital where they shot novicaine in her neck a number of times. It didn't help and one only wonders what harm it did. Ten years later she was formally diagnosed with AD.
But I saw the beginnings of it much sooner. I saw it in subtleties of her behaviour 6 years before it was diagnosed.

ETA~My belief that psychotropic substances may be responsible for one of the forms of alzheimers is because psychotropic substances operate by affecting nuerotransmitters and alzheimers is basically caused by plaque on nuerotransmitters.

I have searched high and low and there is not one study that discusses psychotropic substances and plaque on neurotransmitters.
I cannot imagine that nobody wondered about this correlation before me. It's so obvious I would have thought there would have been somebody who studied it by now. But as the honest doctor said 20 years ago, drug companies finance research and there's no money in finding out that you might be responsible for causing the very condition you are trying to cure.

Edited by missminni, 29 December 2007 - 09:12 PM.


#14 cyborgdreamer

  • Guest
  • 735 posts
  • 204
  • Location:In the wrong universe

Posted 29 December 2007 - 09:40 PM

ETA~My belief that psychotropic substances may be responsible for one of the forms of alzheimers is because psychotropic substances operate by affecting nuerotransmitters and alzheimers is basically caused by plaque on nuerotransmitters.


Are you sure the plaque is on the neurotransmitters? I thought it formed in the extra cellular fluid around the neurons.

Edited by cyborgdreamer, 29 December 2007 - 09:41 PM.


#15 missminni

  • Guest
  • 1,857 posts
  • 27
  • Location:NYC

Posted 29 December 2007 - 10:02 PM

ETA~My belief that psychotropic substances may be responsible for one of the forms of alzheimers is because psychotropic substances operate by affecting nuerotransmitters and alzheimers is basically caused by plaque on nuerotransmitters.


Are you sure the plaque is on the neurotransmitters? I thought it formed in the extra cellular fluid around the neurons.

I am not a scientist, nor do I have a background in science.
I'm an artist whose beloved mother died from Alzheimers. I took an interest in it because of that.
All I can say with any certainty is that in the "umbrella disease/condition" they call Alzheimers
the neurotransmitters are not working properly.
As to where the plaque is exactly, this article I am linking not only explains but has pictures too.

http://www.scq.ubc.c...-up-the-plaque/

Another important feature of Alzheimer’s disease is the drastic changes in the quantity of neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers which allow one neuron to talk to its neighour. One neuron releases a neurotransmitter from its tail and the neurotransmitter stimulates a receptor on the head of a second neuron. Neurotransmitters are usually modified amino acids or small proteins. In Alzheimer’s disease, the levels of seven important neurotransmitters are reduced in the cortex and the hippocampus (9). The reduction in the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Ach) is the most severe, occurring most prominently in the basal forebrain. Cholinergic neurons are especially important in memory and their loss is attributed to worsening memory (9). Levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate are elevated in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients (10). Glutamate can overstimulate neurons to such an extent that is toxic and can kill neurons (9).

Being that psychotropics function through neurotransmitters, I see an obvious avenue of research that should have been explored by now.


#16 Spiral Architect

  • Guest
  • 79 posts
  • 1

Posted 29 December 2007 - 10:17 PM

The neurotransmitters work properly. The problem is with their regulation and levels.
Plaques are formed outside the cells while neurofibrillary tangles are formed inside them, but neither have a direct effect on neurotransmitters afaik.

I'm sorry about your mom, but I think your quest against psychotropics is misguided. Everything in the brain "functions through neurotransmitters".

#17 missminni

  • Guest
  • 1,857 posts
  • 27
  • Location:NYC

Posted 29 December 2007 - 10:33 PM

The neurotransmitters work properly. The problem is with their regulation and levels.
Plaques are formed outside the cells while neurofibrillary tangles are formed inside them, but neither have a direct effect on neurotransmitters afaik.

I'm sorry about your mom, but I think your quest against psychotropics is misguided. Everything in the brain "functions through neurotransmitters".


Sorry Charlie, I don't agree with you. And the well respected doctor I spoke with at John Hopkins didn't either.
In fact he thought it a very worthy course of investigation if they could get the funding to do it.
Let me guess. You are either a pharmacologist or work in pharmaceuticals.


#18 Spiral Architect

  • Guest
  • 79 posts
  • 1

Posted 29 December 2007 - 10:43 PM

The neurotransmitters work properly. The problem is with their regulation and levels.
Plaques are formed outside the cells while neurofibrillary tangles are formed inside them, but neither have a direct effect on neurotransmitters afaik.

I'm sorry about your mom, but I think your quest against psychotropics is misguided. Everything in the brain "functions through neurotransmitters".


Sorry Charlie, I don't agree with you. And the well respected doctor I spoke with at John Hopkins didn't either.
In fact he thought it a very worthy course of investigation if they could get the funding to do it.
Let me guess. You are either a pharmacologist or work in pharmaceuticals.


Don't agree with which of my claims?

I am not a pharmacologist, I don't work in pharma and I certainly don't have an agenda here if it's troubling you. :-D
  • like x 1

#19 missminni

  • Guest
  • 1,857 posts
  • 27
  • Location:NYC

Posted 29 December 2007 - 11:14 PM

Don't agree with which of my claims?
I am not a pharmacologist, I don't work in pharma and I certainly don't have an agenda here if it's troubling you. :-D


sorry about the smart a$$ comment
however I don't agree with your premise that there is no connection between long term use of psychotropic substances and alzheimers
I think it's a possibility that's worthy of consideraton
My mom routinely took Meprobamate also known as Miltown for many years.
Meprobamate has a strong interaction with acetylcholine as noted below.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....d...d&uid=28669

Effect of tranquilizers on the total acetylcholine content and acetylcholinesterase
activity in the brain tissue of Arvicanthis niloticus.
Fathi MM, Asaad AM.
The effect of reserpine and meprobamate on the total acetylcholine content and acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain tissue of the kusu rat, Arvicanthis niloticus, was studied. The total acetylcholine content and acetylcholinesterase activity were determined 1 hr after i.p. injection of different doses of reserpine (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/ml/100 g body wt) and meprobamate (6.25, 12.5 and 25 mg/ml/100 g body wt). The effect of different time intervals (1, 10, 30 min, 1, 2.5, 5, 8, 12, 24 and 48 hr) on the total acetylcholine content and acetylcholinesterase activity was investigated after i.p. injection of 0.5 mg of reserpine and 12.5 mg of meprobamate/ml/100 g body wt. Both reserpine and meprobamate caused an increase in the total ACh content in the brain tissue of Arvicanthis niloticus which was suggested to be due to a decrease in the release of ACh, since both reserpine and meprobamate inhibited AChE activity after some tested periods. The effect of meprobamate was observed to be stronger than that of reserpine.

PMID: 2866923 PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE


The reduction in Acetylcholine is prominent in Alzheimers

http://www.scq.ubc.c...-up-the-plaque/
In Alzheimer’s disease, the levels of seven important neurotransmitters are reduced in the cortex and the hippocampus (9). The reduction in the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Ach) is the most severe, occurring most prominently in the basal forebrain. Cholinergic neurons are especially important in memory and their loss is attributed to worsening memory (9). Levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate are elevated in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients (10). Glutamate can overstimulate neurons to such an extent that is toxic and can kill neurons (9).


Edited by missminni, 30 December 2007 - 05:37 AM.


#20 gavrilov

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
  • 341 posts
  • 9
  • Location:Chicago, USA

Posted 01 January 2008 - 04:46 AM

Greetings,

Here are some excerpts from the Los Angeles Times story "Scientists can't get their minds around Alzheimer's," which are very relevant to our discussion here:

"For most of the century since, scientists have believed the plaques were associated with the disease. But to date, they don't know whether amyloid plaques are the cause of the disease or a result. They don't know whether they are vital to the progress of the disease or incidental. They don't even know whether their presence is indicative of the disease. ... Some people who had the symptoms did not have the tau tangles or the beta amyloid plaques. Some who didn't have the symptoms had the plaques or tangles; some had both. ... The implications of this are confounding and frightening. Could it be that Alzheimer's is not a specific disease, but a normal part of growing old? ... the distinction is getting fuzzier and fuzzier between normal aging and diseases like Alzheimer's disease."

Source:
http://www.latimes.c...=la-home-center
Shorter weblink:
http://tinyurl.com/22a9w6

Hope it helps,

Kind regards,

-- Leonid Gavrilov, Ph.D.
Website: http://longevity-science.org/
Blog: http://longevity-science.blogspot.com/
My books: http://longevity-sci....org/Books.html

#21 eternaltraveler

  • Guest, Guardian
  • 6,471 posts
  • 155
  • Location:Silicon Valley, CA

Posted 01 January 2008 - 11:19 AM

these articles at the MF are particularly useful for both understanding alzheimers, as well as potential treatment avenues.

http://www.methusela...hread.php?t=411

http://www.methusela...hread.php?t=313

http://www.methusela...hread.php?t=304

In particular, Dr. Gavrilov, this seems to indicate strongly that abeta is the "cause" (one step of the cause anyway). http://www.methusela...hread.php?t=298

#22 sjayo

  • Guest
  • 69 posts
  • 0

Posted 01 January 2008 - 07:28 PM

Thanks for alerting us to the forthcoming publication of this book Leonid. Ordinarily I would take such a title with a grain of salt, but Peter Whitehouse is a brilliant scientist. I look forward to reading this book.
Jay

#23 gavrilov

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
  • 341 posts
  • 9
  • Location:Chicago, USA

Posted 28 January 2008 - 05:31 PM

Thanks for alerting us to the forthcoming publication of this book Leonid. Ordinarily I would take such a title with a grain of salt, but Peter Whitehouse is a brilliant scientist. I look forward to reading this book.
Jay


You are welcome, Jay!

By the way, what makes you think that Peter Whitehouse is a "brilliant scientist"?
This question is more a matter of curiosity rather that doubt :)

Interestingly, a new discussion of this book has been just started with participation of one of the book authors at:

"New Books on Aging and Longevity (Discussion Forum)"
http://www.facebook....?gid=8126691324

Hope it helps,

Kind regards,

-- Leonid


-------------------------------------------
-- Leonid Gavrilov, Ph.D.
Website: http://longevity-science.org/
Blog: http://longevity-science.blogspot.com/
My books: http://longevity-sci....org/Books.html

#24 Shannon Vyff

  • Life Member, Director Lead Moderator
  • 3,897 posts
  • 702
  • Location:Boston, MA

Posted 28 January 2008 - 08:55 PM

Thank you everyone for your inputs on this topic, in me it has sparked many ideas I wish to further research. I had a grandfather die of AD, we in the family thought he was 'faking it' or was just so lazy that he brought it on himself (he only watched TV, let my grandmother feed him, dress him, schedule his day). The issue after I grew up (he died when I was in my teens) became quite a mystery to me, and another thing on my list to 'watch out for'.

Missminni, I'm sorry about your mother. I was holding the hand of my stepmother when she passed away, she had suffered 2 years deterioration after a stroke. Even though she looked at peace finally, I could not squelch the emotional response of why I couldn't have done more (through diet, supplements, advocacy --anything). The only solace I had in that situation was the joy she had from my 3 year old during her last months, who gave her kisses--talked to her daily and caused her appearance to change when she was in the room (I cared for my stepmother in my home, the last 6 months of her life, she was bedridden--it was a lot of physical 24 work, relieved three days a week for a few hours by home health care workers). But, I'd not thought of a possible connection between drugs that effect neurotransmitters, in particular acetylcholine--I will look into that further. What I've garnered from the reading I've done in response to the mystery of my grandfather's death, is that a myriad of things cause what we call AD--and my gut feeling is that it is a normal part of aging that in some ways can be offset, depending on how your live and what your genes are.

Leonid, thank you for engaging the author, and pointing out this book. Elrond--the work at Methuselah's new forum is exemplary.

This is an important topic for all of us, and I look forward to learning more about it and sharing anything I find (that I don't feel has been covered here) with everyone.

#25 gavrilov

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
  • 341 posts
  • 9
  • Location:Chicago, USA

Posted 30 January 2008 - 08:28 PM

...

Leonid, thank you for engaging the author, and pointing out this book.

...

You are welcome, Shannon !

See a new (today's) response of the author of the "The Myth of Alzheimer's" book ( http://tinyurl.com/3a6d5o ) at:

"New Books on Aging and Longevity (Discussion Forum)"
http://www.facebook....?gid=8126691324

Hope it helps,

Why don't you bring your books to a discussion there? ;)

-- Leonid

#26 Shepard

  • Member, Director, Moderator
  • 6,360 posts
  • 932
  • Location:Auburn, AL

Posted 06 June 2008 - 08:36 PM

Has anyone picked this book up yet?

#27 Mind

  • Life Member, Director, Moderator, Treasurer
  • 18,997 posts
  • 2,000
  • Location:Wausau, WI

Posted 13 November 2008 - 12:02 AM

Here is another study that would seem (at first glance) to support the Mankato Nun research and my assertions earlier in this thread. Exercising your brain helps stave off alzheimers. I am not saying this is a cure, just that the brain is adaptable and can "work-around" abeta plaques to some extent. Of course we still need an engineering solution (SENS) to rid the brain of the damage and reverse all symptoms.

#28 Dmitri

  • Guest
  • 841 posts
  • 33
  • Location:Houston and Chicago

Posted 13 May 2009 - 04:25 AM

Don't agree with which of my claims?
I am not a pharmacologist, I don't work in pharma and I certainly don't have an agenda here if it's troubling you. :)


sorry about the smart a$$ comment
however I don't agree with your premise that there is no connection between long term use of psychotropic substances and alzheimers
I think it's a possibility that's worthy of consideraton
My mom routinely took Meprobamate also known as Miltown for many years.
Meprobamate has a strong interaction with acetylcholine as noted below.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....d...d&uid=28669

Effect of tranquilizers on the total acetylcholine content and acetylcholinesterase
activity in the brain tissue of Arvicanthis niloticus.
Fathi MM, Asaad AM.
The effect of reserpine and meprobamate on the total acetylcholine content and acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain tissue of the kusu rat, Arvicanthis niloticus, was studied. The total acetylcholine content and acetylcholinesterase activity were determined 1 hr after i.p. injection of different doses of reserpine (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/ml/100 g body wt) and meprobamate (6.25, 12.5 and 25 mg/ml/100 g body wt). The effect of different time intervals (1, 10, 30 min, 1, 2.5, 5, 8, 12, 24 and 48 hr) on the total acetylcholine content and acetylcholinesterase activity was investigated after i.p. injection of 0.5 mg of reserpine and 12.5 mg of meprobamate/ml/100 g body wt. Both reserpine and meprobamate caused an increase in the total ACh content in the brain tissue of Arvicanthis niloticus which was suggested to be due to a decrease in the release of ACh, since both reserpine and meprobamate inhibited AChE activity after some tested periods. The effect of meprobamate was observed to be stronger than that of reserpine.

PMID: 2866923 PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE


The reduction in Acetylcholine is prominent in Alzheimers

http://www.scq.ubc.c...-up-the-plaque/
In Alzheimer’s disease, the levels of seven important neurotransmitters are reduced in the cortex and the hippocampus (9). The reduction in the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Ach) is the most severe, occurring most prominently in the basal forebrain. Cholinergic neurons are especially important in memory and their loss is attributed to worsening memory (9). Levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate are elevated in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients (10). Glutamate can overstimulate neurons to such an extent that is toxic and can kill neurons (9).



I'm sorry to hear that about your mother missminni and you bring forth a great theory that merits more research. Some research does seem to exist in regards to illegals drugs such as Ecstasy and marijuana increasing the risk of AD and those drugs affect the neurotransmitters of the brain. If illegals drugs that affect neurotransmitters increase risk of AD why wouldn't legal psychotropics do the same (even alcohol affects neurotransmitters)? However, one has to admit the member you were arguing with has a point, there are many common substances that could affect neurotransmitters from coffee (caffeine), alcohol (which many believe protects your health), Over the counter pain killers and so on and so forth.

Edited by Dmitri, 13 May 2009 - 04:56 AM.


#29 dubcomesaveme

  • Guest
  • 22 posts
  • 10

Posted 13 May 2009 - 05:29 AM

Some research does seem to exist in regards to illegals drugs such as Ecstasy and marijuana increasing the risk of AD and those drugs affect the neurotransmitters of the brain.


Nicotine administration results in upregulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.. nAch activation produces an antinflammatory and neuroprotective effect. Nicotine and its metabolites is being studied in therapies for ADD, alzeihmer's, and schizophrenia.... where the brain may have a defecit of endogenous nAch activity. NON-smokers are 50% more likely to develop alzeihmer's (and this is controlling for any shortened life expectancy in smokers)

Marijuana also prevents neurons from being over stimulated and under stimulated and has an antiinflammatory and neuroprotective effect. Learning impairments result from a decrease in glutamate excitatory transmission in hippocampus... but overall there is a neuroprotective effect and it actually promotes nerve growth and is beneficial for alzeihmers prevention.

TUrmeric (common spice in indian food) also looks promising in reducing plaque\tangles and increasing nerve growth factors.

I would agree MDMA in large recreational doses if not coadministered with antioxidants is bad for the brain.

Give old people drugs I say, if it gives them something to be mentally engaged about. Albert Hoffman (inventor of LSD) was incredibly lucid and coherent at over 100 years old.

#30 Dmitri

  • Guest
  • 841 posts
  • 33
  • Location:Houston and Chicago

Posted 13 May 2009 - 07:35 AM

Some research does seem to exist in regards to illegals drugs such as Ecstasy and marijuana increasing the risk of AD and those drugs affect the neurotransmitters of the brain.


Nicotine administration results in upregulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.. nAch activation produces an antinflammatory and neuroprotective effect. Nicotine and its metabolites is being studied in therapies for ADD, alzeihmer's, and schizophrenia.... where the brain may have a defecit of endogenous nAch activity. NON-smokers are 50% more likely to develop alzeihmer's (and this is controlling for any shortened life expectancy in smokers)

Marijuana also prevents neurons from being over stimulated and under stimulated and has an antiinflammatory and neuroprotective effect. Learning impairments result from a decrease in glutamate excitatory transmission in hippocampus... but overall there is a neuroprotective effect and it actually promotes nerve growth and is beneficial for alzeihmers prevention.

TUrmeric (common spice in indian food) also looks promising in reducing plaque\tangles and increasing nerve growth factors.

I would agree MDMA in large recreational doses if not coadministered with antioxidants is bad for the brain.

Give old people drugs I say, if it gives them something to be mentally engaged about. Albert Hoffman (inventor of LSD) was incredibly lucid and coherent at over 100 years old.


About Marijuana it all depends what studies you are looking at there are those who claim it's harmless while others claim it's harmful (mainly the government) and according to a professor of mine both sides have their own agendas and biases so it's really hard to decipher what is truth. As for ecstasy it was reported on the news and it's even mentioned in one of my texts which is why I brought it up. However, I did mention at the end that perhaps the neurotransmitter and drug theory was flawed consider there are many common substances that can affect neurotransmitters.




1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users