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No one knows the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Genetic mutations clearly do cause the disease. For example, mutations in the presenilin 1 gene cause more than half of all cases of early-onset alzheimer’s disease.
The genetic mutations that result in early-onset Alzheimer’s disease increase the amount of AB in the brain. Animals have been created in the lab, and these mice and rats have had alzheimer genes inserted in their DNA. Mice or rats, with human alzheimer genes inserted in their DNA, are known as transgenic animals. Transgenic animals show build up of AB in their brains just like alzheimer patients do. Transgenic animals also show decreased learning and memory, like alzheimer patients.
An exciting new development is a recent study which reports that people who take cholesterol-lowering drugs seem to have a lower incidence of alzheimer’s disease. Researchers now know that cholesterol-lowering drugs may actually stop the production of AB. For example, one commonly-used cholesterol-lowering drug, simvastatin, directly reduces the production of AB in cultured brain cells that have been engineered to overproduce AB. This new work suggests that cholesterol may be involved in AB production.
For more information, visit http://www.workingcaregiver.com/articles/alzheimers/causesofalzheimers
