Alzheimer’s disease is a serious concern for seniors. Advancing age is the greatest known risk factor for the condition. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s doubles with every five years of age after 65. Currently, there’s no cure, and most medicines only treat the symptoms. However, a new study has identified a critical process in the cause of the disease, which may lead to more successful therapies in the future. Here’s what you need to know about this groundbreaking discovery.
If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a leading provider of homecare families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
What Triggers Alzheimer’s?
A joint team of Russian and British researchers at several institutions has uncovered a new function that may cause Alzheimer’s. Scientists have long believed amyloid fragments, a type of protein that binds and builds up in the brain, cause the disease. These clumps, called amyloid plaque, grow rapidly either because of something wrong with the proteins or a problem with the natural process that’s supposed to remove them.
The plaque builds up in the brain and damages the nerves, which causes loss of brain function. The new study suggests this improper buildup is caused by the ways these protein fragments interact and bind with zinc ions that are found naturally in the body. They identified two types of amyloid proteins with specific characteristics that, when bonded with zinc ions, built up quickly and were unable to be removed by the body’s natural cleanup mechanism.
If your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, help is just a phone call away. The type of home care Reston seniors need can vary. Some need assistance for a few hours a day, while others require more extensive, around-the-clock assistance. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we tailor our care plans based on each senior’s individual care needs, and the plans can be adjusted at any time.
What Are the Implications for Seniors?
As seniors are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than any other age group, they stand to benefit the most from this study. Scientists hope to use this information to develop new drugs that can target the interaction between amyloids and zinc and hopefully prevent or cure the disease. While these therapies will likely not be on the market in time to help people currently living with Alzheimer’s, this study does have promising implications for the future.
Every senior living with Alzheimer’s deserves compassionate, high-quality care. Families can rely on Alzheimer’s care Reston services from Assisting Hands Home Care to keep their loved ones safe while effectively managing symptoms of the disease. Our caregivers focus on promoting cognitive health and helping seniors regain a sense of pride and accomplishment. Together, we create a personalized home care plan tailored to meet your loved one’s unique needs. Call the Assisting Hands Home Care team today to learn more.
