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| Science & Technology |
| Researchers Suggest Alzheimer's May Begin Outside the Brain |
| 2026-07-08 |
| [Epoch Times] Ever since, the majority of drug-development efforts for Alzheimer’s have targeted the removal of amyloid deposits from the brain. However, even when these drugs effectively reduce the plagues, the clinical improvement in patients remains very limited. At best, they only slow the rate of decline—they don’t halt the progression of the disease, and are certainly not a cure. In this study, they did not try to map the entire genetics of Alzheimer’s. Instead, they focused specifically on the overlap: genomic regions associated with both Alzheimer’s and obesity or diabetes. They identified 35 candidate genes across seven shared genomic regions. The new study drew on an exceptionally large dataset from the European Alzheimer and Dementia Biobank, encompassing nearly 86,000 Alzheimer’s patients and close to half a million control subjects. Cunha and his colleagues combined this genetic data with maps showing where different genes are active across tissues and specific cell types. In other words, while the brain is still part of the story, the genetic risk map—if we look at it as a clue to where the disease may originate—points primarily to the body’s boundaries with the outside world. Cunha repeatedly uses the term "barrier tissues"—tissues that are in constant contact with the external environment and filter what enters the body. The lungs, for example, constantly encounter air, particles, viruses, and bacteria. "The lungs are the first immunological barrier these viruses encounter when they enter the body," he said. Similarly, the gut encounters food, toxins, and gut bacteria. The skin, too, is a first line of defense against the external world. The idea that Alzheimer’s disease may not originate solely in the brain did not begin with Cunha. As early as 2002, a 25-year follow-up study of more than a thousand Japanese American men in Hawaii found that participants with lower levels of hs-CRP—a blood protein that signals inflammation—at midlife were at reduced risk of developing dementia later on. In simple terms, inflammation levels measured many years before symptoms appear were linked to future dementia risk. Subsequent studies have shown similar associations, though they stopped short of proving direct causality. For example, a 2020 study linked bacterial markers of periodontal disease to higher risk of Alzheimer’s, particularly in older age. Periodontal disease is a common disease that can cause bad breath, bleeding gums, gum recession, and, in severe cases, tooth loss. Quite lengthy. The original article seems to be in Hebrew. This article was originally published by Epoch Magazine Israel. Original article Related: Alzheimer 05/18/2026 Félicien Kabuga, accused of orchestrating the Rwandan genocide, has died in The Hague Alzheimer 01/27/2026 Menopause linked to Alzheimer's-like brain changes Alzheimer 01/16/2026 The surprising benefits of standing on one leg Related: Inflammation 06/04/2026 I'm an Ebola expert – what we are seeing could be unprecedented Inflammation 06/02/2026 ‘I live on beef, butter, bacon and eggs.’ Inflammation 04/15/2026 Chinese scientists have discovered a virus in shrimp and fish that causes blindness in humans |
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