According to a study recently released by the American Academy of Neurology, people who experience sleep apnea, or stop breathing while sleeping, may have higher accumulations of the Alzheimer’s biomarker called tau, in an area of the brain that helps with memory. The study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 71st Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, May 4 to 10, 2019.
A joint venture on chemical safety, the International Program on Chemical Safety, led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and in coordination with the United Nations and the International Labor Organization, has defined a biomarker as “any substance, structure, or process that can be measured in the body, or its products, and influence or predict the incidence of outcome or disease”.
Alzheimer´s Disease Biomarkers
Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease include total tau (T-tau), phosphorylated tau (P-tau), and β-amyloid 42 (Aβ42).
The study involved 288 people aged 65 and older who did not have cognitive impairment. Bed partners were asked whether they had witnessed episodes of stopped breathing during sleep. Of the 288 participants, 43 (about 15%) had witnessed apneas.
Participants had PET (positron emission tomography) brain scans to measure tau tangles in the entorhinal cortex, an area of the temporal lobe that helps manage memory, navigation, and perception of time, and that tends to accumulate tau earlier than other brain regions. On average, people with witnessed apneas had 4.5% higher levels of tau in the entorhinal cortex than those without.
Stem Cells Treatment
Retirement communities with stem cell treatment are experiencing the benefits of this therapy.
Stem cell transplantation, at the sites of neuronal degeneration, is a very promising approach for the treatment of different neurological diseases such as Alzheimer´s disease. It has been shown that human neural stem cells transplanted into brains can differentiate into neural cells and significantly improve cognitive function.
Stem Cells Transplant Institute
Stem cell therapy at the Stem Cells Transplant Institute can help improve the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer´s disease.
- Forgetfulness
- Confusion
- Loss of recent
memories - Depression
- Apathy
- Social withdrawal
- Mood swings
- Distrust in others
- Irritability and aggressiveness
- Changes in sleeping habits
- Wandering
Traditional Alzheimer´s Disease treatment is only able to reduce the degree of impairment, but using stem cells has opened up the possibility of actually repairing the central nervous system for patients suffering from degenerative neurological diseases like Alzheimer´s disease.
Regenerative Medicine Research in Alzheimer’s Disease
Researchers are studying whether stem cell–based therapies could support brain health in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Early and preclinical studies of mesenchymal stem cells suggest possible effects on inflammation and neural repair, but more research is needed, and results vary from patient to patient.
The Stem Cells Transplant Institute uses adipose-derived, bone marrow–derived, or umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells. Every patient is medically evaluated before treatment. Learn more about our approach to Alzheimer’s disease and how stem cell therapy works at our clinic in Costa Rica.
