While the scientific community has made strides in Alzheimer's research, a rare case study has prompted scientists to revisit a nearly century-old question: Can Alzheimer's be transmitted?
On the 29th of January 2024, startling news came to the fore, a detailed study revealed the first-ever instances of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) apparently being transmitted. The cases at the center of this research centered around growth hormones derived from cadavers.
The study considered eight patients who were treated with human growth hormones (hGH), obtained from cadavers, between 1958 and 1985. Unexpectedly, several years later, these patients developed early-onset Alzheimer's.
The shocking aspect of these cases was that these patients did not show genetic susceptibility to Alzheimer's. This bizarre outcome set off alarm bells in the research community globally, triggering a deeper quest into how this transmission may have occurred.
Scientists spent countless hours investigating this unexpected revelation. They probed the nature of these hGH treatments and their connection with Alzheimer's.
The hGH treatments that the patients received between 1958 to 1985 are strikingly different from current standards. Today, manufacturers produce synthetic hGH, eliminating the need for cadaver-derived hormones.
During the span of these treatments, reputable bodies such as the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke collected samples. These samples were from deceased individuals whose pituitary glands were healthy and suitable for donation.
The pituitary glands were then used to extract hGH and subsequently administer it to patients with growth deficiencies. The procedure complied with the accepted safety standards at the time.
However, over time the manifestations of Alzheimer's among these patients raised vital questions around the process and its potential after-effects.
Could the cadaver-derived hGH have carried Alzheimer's More importantly, could this AD be induced in patients who received therapy?
Answering these questions became urgent, not only for understanding but also for ensuring the safety of countless others who might be receiving similar treatments.
At the heart of suspecting a connection was the nature of Alzheimer's itself. AD is characterized by the buildup of a protein called beta-amyloid and another called tau. These, when accumulated in the brain, lead to Alzheimer's disease.
Scientists analyzed this correlation closely. They centered their research on understanding how the presence of these proteins in these hGH treatments could have induced Alzheimer's in the patients.
They found hints that propose a disturbing correlation. Beta-amyloid and tau were found in the hGH samples derived from the brain tissues of the deceased donors.
Scientists affirmed that the injection of these contaminated hGH samples could have resulted in the deposition and propagation of these proteins in the recipients' brains.
This revelation is alarming, illuminating the probability that Alzheimer's could be 'seeded' in individuals receiving such injections.
The consequences are wide-reaching. The knowledge that Alzheimer's could potentially be communicable opens up numerous avenues of research for scientists.
It presents the implicit need to reevaluate and implement more stringent safety measures in brain tissue-derived therapeutic interventions.
The findings also underscore the urgency to devise strategies that could prevent the seeding and propagation of proteins implicated in Alzheimer's.
Overall, the situation presents opportunities for discovery and progress, offering hope for better understanding the nuances of this devastating disease and ultimately, finding a cure.