For
nearly 5.3 million people in the American population Alzheimer’s is crippling
disease. For another 9.9 million individuals Alzheimer’s occupies their lives
as caretakers for its victims. As cognition and memory decline patients lose their
independence, and some their lives as their immune system fails as a result of
the disease. While treatment for this debilitating disease is still being
researched, the best chances for patients lie in its early detection. To do so,
one must understand the physiological signs associated with Alzheimer’s.
A
key method for determining Alzheimer’s is to measure the occurrence of two
distinct biomarkers that in Alzheimer’s patients. As explained by Dr. Morrison,
patients with Alzheimer’s demonstrate increased concentrations of Aß42 plaques
as well as neurofibrillary tangles. Of course, even comparatively normal brains
demonstrate levels of these biomarkers in aged subjects. Whether or not these
biomarkers are the cause of or rather simply just signifiers of the disease
remains unclear, especially as these normal patients show decreased cognitive
function. On the opposite end of the spectrum, however lies the so-called “superagers.”
Superagers are
individuals who, anywhere in the age of 65+, demonstrate little to no
degeneration. Comparatively they have the memory and cognitive function of a
person 30, even 40 years their junior. When observing the neurophysiology of
such patients, there is a large difference in the concentration of the
biomarkers that are the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. The differences do
not end there of course. It seems that what makes a superager is not simply a
lack of these biomarkers, but the presence of certain oversized brain cells.
Known as von Economo neurons, researchers at Northwestern University found that
the brains of superagers had roughly 5 times the amount of these neurons as
other subjects.
The exact
functions of these neurons remains largely unclear, and how they function in
these superagers even more so. “John M. Allman of Caltech, who has studied von
Economo neurons for 20 years, suspects that the neurons provide long-distance
transmission of nerve impulses,” (Zimmer 2015). These neurons may help relay
thoughts between certain areas of the brain, helping individuals manage
long-term goals and focus.
Furthering
research on the function and biochemical activity occurring in these von
Economo neurons might help shed light on how Alzheimer’s actually propogates as
well as effective treatments. If in fact von Economo neurons help protect
patients against Alzheimer’s, then studying the biochemical functionality of
these neurons could lead to new more effective treatments.
Citations
Zimmer,
Carl Studying
Oversize Brain Cells for Links to Exceptional Memory. The New York Times. 12th Feb. 2015. Web.
5th Dec. 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/13/science/studying-oversize-brain-cells-for-links-to-exceptional-memory.html
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