Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that may have genetic (APOE4) and environmental influences on its manifestation in 60-70% of cases. The loss of cognitive function generally starts slowly and progressively gets worse with time and age.  The disease is characterized by the development of amyloid plaques in the brain, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuronal degradation in the brain.  It affects about 6% of people over 65 years of age and is expected to increase substantially by 2030. Dr. Alan MacDonald, a pathologist found that 7 out of 10 brains examined post autopsy were positive for Borrelia, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. His findings have not been well accepted by mainstream medicine, and he continues to try and publish his data and change the thinking on the disease etiology. Here are a few videos  where Dr. MacDonald explains his research, as well as some articles of research on the disease:

• Borrelia spirochaetes Detected in autopsy Alzheimer Brain by Dr. Alan MacDonald
• Alzheimer’s disease – a neurospirochetosis. Analysis of the evidence following Koch’s and Hill’s criteria (PubMed)
• Meningoencephalitis from Borrelia miyamotoi in an Immunocompromised Patient pdf
• Alzheimer’s disease – a neurospirochetosis. Analysis of the evidence following Koch’s and Hill’s criteria (NIH)

There is no definitive test for Alzheimer’s disease other than a western blot test for Borrelia, and there is currently no treatment, except for antibiotics, which are highly controversial for this disease.

I hope in the next decade, there will be a greater awareness of the role infections play in the development of this neurodegenerative disease.