Research on mice links fast food to Alzheimer's

[highplainsdem]

Source: Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) - Mice fed junk food for nine months showed signs of developing the abnormal brain tangles strongly associated with Alzheimer's disease, a Swedish researcher said on Friday.

The findings, which come from a series of published papers by a researcher at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet, show how a diet rich in fat, sugar and cholesterol could increase the risk of the most common type of dementia.

"On examining the brains of these mice, we found a chemical change not unlike that found in the Alzheimer brain," Susanne Akterin, a researcher at the Karolinska Institutet's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, who led the study, said in a statement.

"We now suspect that a high intake of fat and cholesterol in combination with genetic factors ... can adversely affect several brain substances, which can be a contributory factor in the development of Alzheimer's."

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSTRE4AR48G20081128

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. High blood sugar creates little thingies called advanced glycation

endproducts... people without diabetes get these also but probably not to the same degree. These little nasties are not good for your tissues/cells. They bind to places and things that they really shouldn't... they have no standards...

pycnogenol helps normalize blood sugar and reduce the amount of oxidative stress placed on the body by many different diseases/syndromes.

www.pycnogenol.com

[nebenaube]

6. another condition

treatable with pot... It does reduce blood sugar no?

[merwin]

8. I haven't heard of that one before.

Then there's the side effect of eating a ton when on pot

[HysteryDiagnosis]

9. Haven't heard.... didn't know... but I hope that's true. n/t

[gorbal]

31. Explains what I have seen at work.

Explains the all to common co-morbidity of Alzheimer's and diabetes.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

36. Recent and relevant....

1: J Neurochem. 2008 Nov 5. Click here to read Links
A novel mechanism of methylglyoxal cytotoxicity in neuroglial cells.
Lee HK, Seo IA, Suh DJ, Lee HJ, Park HT.

Address; Department of Physiology, Medical Science Research Institute, College of Medicine, Dong-A University 3-1, Dongdaesin-Dong, Seo-Gu, Busan 602-714, South Korea.

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is an endogenous dicarbonyl compound that is highly produced in hyperglycemic conditions. It forms advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) that are believed to contribute, as etiological factors, to the pathophysiology of diabetic complications. In addition, MGO suppresses cell viability through the induction of apoptosis in vitro. In this study, we have, for the first time, demonstrated the effect of MGO on the gp130 cytokine-induced signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) responses in RT4 schwannoma, PC12 pheochromocytoma and U87MG glioma cells. At dose that very mildly affects cell viability, MGO rapidly induces endocytotic degradation of gp130, which involves the di-leucine internalization motif in the cytoplasmic domain of gp130, without affecting other growth factor receptors.

Concomitant inhibition of basal and interleukin-6-induced STAT3 activation was observed following pretreatment with MGO. The inhibitory effect of MGO on the gp130/STAT3 signaling was prevented by the pretreatment with an AGE scavenger aminoguanidine. Finally, these deleterious effects of MGO on STAT3 signaling led to down-regulation of a STAT3 target gene, Bcl-2, and sensitized cellular toxicity induced by H(2)O(2) and etoposide. Our data indicate that MGO affects cell viability via desensitization of gp130/STAT3 signaling, which is the key signaling pathway for cell survival, and thereby promotes cytotoxicity.

1: Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2008 Oct 7;7:29.Click here to read Click here to read Links
The clinical relevance of assessing advanced glycation endproducts accumulation in diabetes.
Meerwaldt R, Links T, Zeebregts C, Tio R, Hillebrands JL, Smit A.

Department of Surgery, Isala Clinics, Zwolle, The Netherlands. [e-mail]

Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes. There is increasing evidence that advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) play a pivotal role in atherosclerosis, in particular in diabetes. AGE accumulation is a measure of cumulative metabolic and oxidative stress, and may so represent the "metabolic memory". Furthermore, increased AGE accumulation is closely related to the development of cardiovascular complications in diabetes. This review article will focus on the clinical relevance of measuring AGE accumulation in diabetic patients by focusing on AGE formation, AGEs as predictors of long-term complications, and interventions against AGEs.

PMID: 18840258

[BootinUp]

2. This sounds like junk science.

[jaysunb]

3. Yup ...

Most of the folks I've known w/ this condition never ate fast foods....

[ronnie624]

22. Maybe they consumed a lot of certain ingredients at home

over the years, which are also prominent in "fast food". Ground beef, for instance.

[NoodleyAppendage]

4. Kidding right? The institute in question is well-respected.

It's not that big of a surprise given the known connection between lipid metabolism, Alzheimer's disease, and cholesterol transport genes (such as APOE).

J

[BootinUp]

5. I especially like the last sentence

in this internationally published "scary headline" article.

"All in all, the results give some indication of how Alzheimer's can be prevented, but more research in this field needs to be done before proper advice can be passed on to the general public," she said.

That is just bullshit. The study gives some indication of how to prevent Alzheimers in genetically engineered mice though. The jury is still completely out on to prevent it in humans.

[mopinko]

18. me three

are they trying to tell me that our understanding of alzheimers is so limited that it could be big macs, and we just don't know? puhleeze.

[NoodleyAppendage]

34. What they are trying to tell you is...a high fat, LDL cholesterol diet increases your risk for AD.

The study in question is not new in terms of the underlying mechanism (i.e., high fat/cholesterol diet being a risk factor for AD), but what is unique is how these dietary risk factors were applied (i.e., fast food).

J

[NoodleyAppendage]

33. The jury is NOT completely out on how to prevent AD.

It is known that dietary factors in concert with genetic susceptibility are at the root of the disease. As such, we already have a good idea of what environmental factors, such as diet and exercise, can be modified to reduce the likelihood of getting the disease. Genes...you can't do much about, but if you can improve the other half of the equation (environment), then there's a benefit in reducing the AD onset curves.

J

[shanti]

17. exactly

sounds like bs to me too.

[lamp_shade]

7. I can't get rid of this image in my mind of a mouse holding a big mac.

[Digit]

10. Could it most likely be the hamburger meat (mad cow)

or cjk...whatever they call it.

[condoleeza]

11. Nutrasweet?? anyone------

What about the connection with Diet Coke and Parkinsons?  From
my own research it would appear that there is a connection
between phenylalanine (which is what "Nutrasweet"
is}. and Parkinsons.  The stuff should have never been allowed
in the food chain and has a scary connection to Rumsfeld.

All I know is what I've seen and my own experience would lead
me to believe that there is a connection.  We hauled my SIL's
dad into our house last night in a wheelchair.  This is a
former college professor who has become nearly completely
incapacitated.  He is brought in by his obese daughter who is
carrying a litre of Diet Coke, which the two of them managed
to nearly finish during the evening.  

Some people just don't want to learn the truth about a
substance that can pass through the blood brain barrier.  It
was all I could do to not scream.  If he were to get off the
"sauce" I truly think he would normalize.

[pitohui]

12. did you know john james audubon had early onset alzheimer's?

it's a horrific story, from a genius who was both scientist and artist, and a charmer who was able to sell his idea across europe and america, he suddenly became an obnoxious drunk who pushed away one of his closest friends and then lost all ability to recognize even those he loved the most

there was no nutrasweet in those days nor was there mad cow

i would love for this "junk food" connection to be true, for i eat no junk food

i would love "nutrasweet" to be the cause, for i eat no nutrasweet

unfortunately the cause is genetics, and the best i can hope for is that a cheap test comes along soon enough so that i can find out if i have the gene and, if so, remove myself from this planet before the gene expresses itself

not all problems have cheap easy answers, would that they did, my friend

we are not mice and we've gone down a lot of false trails over the years with mouse studies (such as saccharine causes cancer in mice but doesn't in people because it turns out we don't have the gene that mice do that reacts that way)

alas, primate studies are expensive and politically unpopular and take a long time too

[Chulanowa]

20. They're not citing it as a sole cause

Only that it seems to have a link. It could worsen or trigger the problem in those genetically prone to it.

I can't imagine that a steady diet of high-fat, sugary, starch-laden food slathered with more nitrates than a Rift Valley salt lake is too good for one's brain, in any case.

[PatrynXX]

24. prefer splenda

always had the precursor to Nutrasweet... sacarene ?? (sp)) oh that shit is bitter.

Splenda is better. maybe I should stick with Sobe or Lipton cold tea in a pop bottle. :P or Pom Juice. Dang going to make myself thirsty.



Better yet. diet orange mixed with 2 shots of Vodka. PERFECT :)

[jwirr]

13. My mother had Alzheimer's and I can count the times she was willing

to eat out at a fast food restaurant on one hand. They need to look further because it may not be all fast food but some common link between old fashioned home cooking and fast foods. Then she would fit in.

[pitohui]

14. nah it's genetics, nothing to do with food -- mice studies are badly flawed

we lost a lot of decades worrying about saccharine because it caused bladder cancer in mice before it was discovered that they had a genetic weakness that allowed the cancer to develop -- a weakness humans don't have

we're just not closely related to mice, they are rodents, we are primates

a lot of mice studies are done, let's face it, to grab press time and to grab grants but they are of very little benefit to medical science

don't blame your mom for what she ate, i had relatives who developed alzheimer's basically before fast food was even invented

[jwirr]

15. Thank you.

[Jersey Ginny]

16. Can't rule out environmental factors that exacerbate a genetic propensity

It sounds worth looking at further. It may help us better understand Alzheimers at the very least.

[BadgerKid]

21. Before fast food people ate

shortening and margarine, both of which, I believe, had trans fatty acids. A have a hunch there's a connection there.

[tpsbmam]

35. Inaccurate......

Familial Alzheimer's is genetic -- it causes the early-onset type of Alzheimer's. If you inherit one of the gene mutations responsible (there are 3 that they know of -- only one is necessary), you're most likely get the early -onset variety (though it's not 100%). It's autosomal dominant (if one parent has the gene, the kids have a 50/50 chance of inheriting the gene mutation). This type is only about 10% of people with Alzheimer's.

In late-onset (after age 65), there is no known gene that passes from parent to child, though there certainly is a genetic basis that docs don't yet understand. You do see clusters in families occasionally. The most promising line of research indicating increased risk of developing Alzheimer's is the apolipoprotein E gene on chromosome 19. People with 2 copies of a specific allele associated with all of this are at increased risk of developing AD, but it's certainly not inevitable that they will. People with one copy are at slightly lower risk. (And another allele appears to lower your risk.)

Researchers are looking at other chromosomes, too.

BUT....see my post below on lifestyle. There are KNOWN lifestyle risk factors. For late-onset, it may well be a mix of genes AND lifestyle.

[goclark]

23. My Mom has it and she has been a perfect size and

model food consumer for all of her 90 years.

Her parents always prepared the basic food groups and sweets were just a tiny treat for their family.

Count my Mom at 90 yrs. out of that study.

I pray they do find the solution - every day I pray.

It is so difficult to see what it does to her spirit and her will to live. :cry:

[tismyself]

19. So quit feeding fast food to mice.

[Hannah Bell]

25. What's the distinguishing characteristic of "junk food" that distinguishes

it, scientifically, from other foods?


the study may not be junk science, but the headline is.

*What,* exactly, were they fed, in what quantities, on what schedule?

[SpiralHawk]

27. I'd bet a doughnut, FRYOLATOR fat crap is a big factor

[The Backlash Cometh]

26. Well, looks like we really have been dummying down America.

[windoe]

28. I heard mad cow disease 'resembles' Alzheimers

disease, and then did not come across any updated studies on this. It is hard to know what data to trust on this subject, so much information is junk.
My mother and aunt are cooks who don't eat out and they got this condition, they ate the traditional meat & potatoes diet, and both love to bake.

[tpsbmam]

30. It can....sometimes....

There are a number of variants of "mad cow disease" (known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, variant CJD, and a couple of other names). Some people with CJD even get the amyloid plaques seen in Alzheimer's. But typically the symptoms differ slightly, although both cause dementia and have many overlapping symptoms. The biggest difference is the speed with which people with CJD deteriorate and die. People typically live for years with Alzheimer's. People with CJD once the onset is clear are more likely to die in months, sometimes even weeks. In a small percentage of people who get this, there's no exposure to "mad cow" -- it's genetic.

(Edited to add genetic info.)

[tpsbmam]

29. This isn't groundbreaking or new -- lifestyle is a known risk factor for Alzheimer's

Among the known risk factors are smoking, eating a high fat diet (particularly one high in trans fats), high calorie diets, diets low in fruits & vegetables (look up homocysteine & Alzheimer's) lack of exercise, untreated hypertension, high cholesterol levels....the risk factors for stroke & coronary artery disease are also Alzheimer's risk factors. And then there's the genetic element....BUT it's sadly a much stronger link among those who who develop early Alzheimer's than it is for those who develop Alzheimer's in old age (another risk factor -- the incidence of Alzheimer's increases with increasing age -- only about 5% of people up to age 74 have Alzheimer's.....by age 85 it's about 50% in the US.)

[pitohui]

37. age and genetics are the risk factors

everything else is along the lines of the same junk science that tries to pretend having an abortion is a risk factor for breast cancer

you make large assertions that lifestyle is a risk factor w. absolutely no evidence offered whatsoever

how many people in your family are affected by this? what were their lifestyles? because from what i've seen the perfect clean-living lifestyle does fuck-all, they would have better off if they'd smoked, partied, and died of something, anything, before their brains gave out, there is nothing crueler then the way this society keeps people alive without their minds in order to drain their families of money

can you imagine not even being able to remember if you have eaten and thinking you are being tortured and starved for years and you can't understand why?

there is no kindness in encouraging people who might have the gene to prolong the health of their bodies because there is NO evidence i've seen that this preserves their minds...it only prolongs their misery and suffering

[tpsbmam]

38. My grandmother was but more than that....

this was part of my professional life before I retired. I've read TONS of research into this (NOT junk science) and treated MANY patients.

There is plenty of evidence out there if you'd do a little research.

What you're talking about is anecdotal, the worst kind of junk science. My grandmother didn't have any of those lifestyle risk factors, nor do a fair number of people who develop Alzheimer's. But the GOOD science (peer reviewed journals, etc) is there if you'd take the time to do the research. Just Google Alzheimer's & lifestyle and look for the reliable sites.

You could, for example, start with the MAYO CLINIC.....the last time I looked, the Mayo clinic didn't get where it was by basing their treatment on "junk science."

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-disease/DS00161/DSECTION=risk-factors

Lifestyle. The same factors that put you at risk of heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, may also increase the likelihood that you'll develop Alzheimer's disease. Poorly controlled diabetes is another risk factor. And keeping your body fit isn't your only concern — you've got to exercise your mind as well. Some studies have suggested that remaining mentally active throughout your life, especially in your later years, reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

[gorbal]

32. Such cruelty to animals

I wonder if anyone tested them for mad cow disease.