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Does Fungus Cause Alzheimer's?


Stashed in: Brain, Alzheimer's, Neuroscience, Inflammation, Correlation is not causation., Mycology!, Mycology

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I had no idea that some researchers believe fungal infection could be causing Alzheimers! This is a very small study but there was a clear difference between Alzheimers patients and control brains when examined for fungal growth.

There is no conclusive evidence yet, but if true, it means Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) may be targeted with antifungal treatment.

The main suspect in AD to date has been brain “plaques” caused by a build-up of sticky proteins, but trials with drugs targeting these have yielded disappointing results.

The new study adds another possible cause to the list of hypotheses.

Traces of several fungal species were found, said the team, which “might explain the diversity observed in the evolution and severity of clinical symptoms in each AD patient.”

A fungal cause would fit well with the characteristics of AD, the researchers added, including the slow progression of the disease and inflammation, which is an immune response to infectious agents such as fungi.

The researchers did point out, however, that fungal infection may be the result, not the cause, of AD.

More about Alzheimer's and Fungi in regions of the brain:

http://nature.com/articles/srep15015

Comments in the science subreddit:

https://reddit.com/r/science/comments/3p1u0t/different_brain_regions_are_infected_with_fungi/

This is along those lines as well.  

It is looking more that a plurality of neuro-psycho-immunological diseases are due to chronic long term infection. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/20921875/

What causes the long term infection? Diet? Fungus? Something else?

Alzheimer disease (AD), a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disorder, has a mainly unknown multifactorial etiology. Neuroinflammatory mechanisms might contribute to the cascade of events leading to neuronal degeneration. Central nervous system infections have been previously suggested as possible etiological agents in the development of sporadic AD. Toxoplasmosis can be associated with various neuropsychiatric disorders. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible association between toxoplasma infection and AD.

I believe toxoplasma is a primary cause of human dysfunction. 

Cats keep toxoplasma alive and propagating but it is everywhere, in all food, animal and even fruit or vegetables have it from the dirt. 

I read extensive literature and it is fascinating and frightening. 

Sounds frightening because I have no idea how to avoid it. 

And this schmuck owns the drug. 

http://mobile.the-scientist.com/article/44107/treating-toxoplasmosis

It fascinates me that this is a neglected area of research.  

Panda has 5 cats and 6 litter boxes. He is doomed.

Toxoplasma infection has been shown to be highly correlated with a vast array of mental health issues including schizophrenia.  In one study it was highly correlated with car accidents. Migraines, epilepsy really who knows the depth of the issue. 

I have had neurological dysfunction all my life.  In doing research on this I found a treatment that seems to clear it all. 

I wonder what that is worth in an economic context?

A lot of people don't know that toxoplasma may be the source of their misery, so the economic value is unclear. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4270089/

The prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies was respectively 61% in diabetic patients and 38% in healthy controls. Therefore, the risk factor for Toxoplasmainfection in diabetic patients was about two folds higher than in healthy controls (RR=2.21, 95% CI; 1.6 - 3.7, P=0.001) [9]. Consequently, toxoplasmosis patients may be more at risk to develop diabetic than uninfected individuals.

Geez, this parasite is bad and ubiquitous.

The parasite Toxoplasma gondii infects 30–60% of humans worldwide. Latent toxoplasmosis, i.e., the life-long presence of Toxoplasma cysts in neural and muscular tissues, leads to prolongation of reaction times in infected subjects. It is not known, however, whether the changes observed in the laboratory influence the performance of subjects in real-life situations.

More: http://pandawhale.com/post/68404/as-i-was-saying

I am 99% sure I have found the solution. 

I have tested it on myself and it is unbelievable. 

Which sets up the interesting question what do I do with this information. 

Find a scientist or medical doctor you trust to do experiments to verify the results?

That seems like a good idea, and I have looked up experts but everything they do is owned by the university.  

There is no way I am donating it to a university. 

Don't get me wrong.  I don't want to be a billionaire or anything but I don't want anyone else to be one either. 

The cure is a natural substance.  I want to cultivate it and distribute at reasonable rates

For those keeping score at home: the toxoplasmosis stuff has nothing to do with the topic of the article. Toxoplasma is a parasite, not a fungus.

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