It’s happened to all of us: we forget where we parked our car or why we walked into a room. Some degree of forgetfulness is normal, especially when you are busy or have a lot on your mind. But for many, this forgetfulness can develop into Alzheimer’s.
Decades of research have shown that the build-up of toxic proteins called beta-amyloid and tau in the brain can lead to Alzheimer’s. What is less clear is what causes these proteins to accumulate. Some new studies have begun to explain this process, revealing that when it comes to Alzheimer’s the causes of the disease go beyond genetic factors and unhealthy habits (although those are important factors as well).
Here are some of the more unusual (and scary) causes the new studies point to.
You take anti-anxiety medication
A class of drugs called benzodiazepines, which includes popular drugs such as lorazepam (Ativan), alprazolam (Xanax), and clonazepam (Klonopin), are commonly used to treat anxiety and insomnia. Although studies evaluating the safety and effectiveness of these drugs have only evaluated their short-term use (generally about three months), many people take them long-term. A study published in the British Medical Journal followed 1,796 Canadians with Alzheimer’s disease and 7,184 healthy controls for six years and found that benzodiazepine use for more than three months was associated with up to a 51% increased risk of Alzheimer’s.
The moral of the story? If you only need benzodiazepines occasionally, you’re probably safe. If anxiety and insomnia are a frequent problem for you, consider cognitive behavioral therapy, which has been shown to be effective in treating both problems—without the harmful side effects of medication.
You’ve hit your head too many times
Many of us are familiar with the concerns that can accompany a head injury. Most people recover without problems, but for others, the inflammation that helps heal damaged brain tissue becomes chronic. This is where potential links to Alzheimer’s disease can be found.
Brain cells called microglia play an important role in inflammation. When microglia cells are constantly in a pro-inflammatory state, they are less able to clear amyloid beta from the brain, studies say. It is not yet clear why the inflammatory process remains active in some people or how many cases of Alzheimer’s disease are potentially related to traumatic brain injury.
You are sleep deprived on a regular basis
Lack of sleep has reached near-epidemic levels in recent years as we try to juggle careers, kids, marriage, hobbies and more. And because we have to sacrifice something, many of us choose to give up sleep. Besides this choice making you sleepy behind the wheel and waking up your appetite in the middle of the night, lack of sleep can accelerate the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Sleep problems are common in people with Alzheimer’s, but it was unclear whether this was cause or effect, the studies say. In a study done on mice, it was found that when they were allowed to sleep just four hours a night, the amount of tau protein in their brains increased. Lack of sleep also affects learning and memory, as well as the way neurons communicate with each other. Chronic sleep deprivation strains the brain and body, accelerating the damaging processes that lead to Alzheimer’s disease. Sleep deprivation is a form of chronic stress for the body.
You feel lonely
A recent study identified links between loneliness and the development of dementia. The researchers found that feelings of loneliness in older adults made them 1.63 times more likely to develop dementia during the three years of the study. Scientists don’t yet know what drives this association, but the implications are clear: Staying connected with friends, family, and community is good for you.
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2023-12-21 21:26:57
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