Blood Vessel Dysfunction Linked to Heart Disease Also Impacts Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's Reading Room is on the money once again. In an article carried today Bob DeMarco relates research that ties blood vessel dysfunction to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). It is entitled Blood Vessel Dysfunction Linked to Heart Disease Also Impacts Alzheimer's Disease Click on the title or on Archive to go and read.

The findings seem to suggest that vascular disease, not necessarily stroke (major or mini), cause a loss of loss of nitric oxide in the endothelium, a condition known as endothelial dysfunction. It is a result of dysfunction in the lining of blood vessels wherein oxygen is impeded from entering tissue from the vessels.

This is seen as a precursor to AD and a contributor after AD sets in.

This answers part of a long posed question I have regarding Stroke vs. AD as cause of progressive dementia. So fat the literature has suggested either or both can cause the onset and progression of dementia. But to this date all I have read has not taken vascular cause beyond major or minor strokes, each event oriented, not progressive other than in the repeat of instances in which a stroke occurs.

This finding pointing to another cause, namely, vascular disease, as a significant cause of AD. The importance for me has to do with the issue of the brain’s ability to regenerate new tissue and find pathways around the damage causing lost function. It happens with stroke. The National Health Institute (NIH) has arrogantly declared “nothing will stem the tide of progression with AD,” and no literature I have been able to find bears directly on the issue.

This finding also gives credence to one of the three primary Best Practice recommendations of: “Eat Right, Exercise Daily, Participate in Social, Creative and Intellectually Stimulating Activity.” They validate exercise, one of the three, the why it does further explained in this article. They also give rationale for eating right, namely following a cholesterol free diet.

Participating in Social, Creative and Intellectual Stimulating Activity, needs little validation; it speaks for itself.
Perhaps another sub-practice ought to also be emphasized, “Get off your chair, get outta the house and see people.” This in itself increases quality of life. Forging a good quality in your life is probably the premier method to live with, tolerate and make the best of having this disease.