The Case for Transmissible Alzheimer's Grows

Re:The Case for Transmissible Alzheimer's Grows by itissid on Sunday February 10, 2019 @12:54PM (#19128959)

1. If certain Prion disease(like say CJD) was Communicable with a high R0[1] by say contact, fecal matter, saliva we would see a lot of people dying, since CJD has a mortality rate of 90% within 1 year[2].

2. The level of A-beta protein(i.e. not technically prion just yet) again the deposits in 7 of the 8 patients was so severe that if this were communicable easily with a high R0, it would also be seen in the general population by now.

So one does not need to worry at least about communicability of this through those means just yet. But transmission if postulated experimentally through certain means like say dental health can mean that we might be able to put a dent in a health crisis of a greying population.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_reproduction_number [2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creutzfeldt%E2%80%93Jakob_dise...

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Re:The Case for Transmissible Alzheimer's Grows by armitron on Sunday February 10, 2019 @02:54PM (#19129617)

1. CJD is only one specific instance of Prion disease. Others (e.g. vCJD) have incubation periods of - multiple decades -. From the article: "In the original Alzheimer’s transmissibility study, scientists examined the brains of eight patients treated with prion-contaminated human growth hormone as children who decades later died from prion disease"

Alzheimers is growing at epidemic proportions, globally [1].

Alzheimers in the US is growing at alarming rates [2].

[1] https://www.alzheimers.net/alzheimers-is-on-the-rise-in-thes...

[2] https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures

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Re:The Case for Transmissible Alzheimer's Grows by DrScump on Monday February 11, 2019 @06:10AM (#19133582)

  Alzheimers in the US is growing at alarming rates

Is occurrence increasing alarmingly, or is it just being more properly diagnosed? "Senility" and "old age" may not have been properly isolated last century.

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Re:The Case for Transmissible Alzheimer's Grows by b_tterc_p on Sunday February 10, 2019 @06:59PM (#19130985)

I do wish those numbers controlled for population size, and rates of known correlated variables (e.g. diabetes).

What I want to know is whether the probability of developing the disease given I am a X year old healthy male/female has increased.

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