Shayna
November 24, 2008, 6:23am
121
The beat goes on, the beat goes on
Well, there’s no la de da de da about this news just out tonight:
How Red Wine Compounds Fight Alzheimer’s Disease
ScienceDaily (Nov. 23, 2008) — Scientists call it the “French paradox” — a society that, despite consuming food high in cholesterol and saturated fats, has long had low death rates from heart disease. Research has suggested it is the red wine consumed with all that fatty food that may be beneficial — and not only for cardiovascular health but in warding off certain tumors and even Alzheimer’s disease.
Now, Alzheimer’s researchers at UCLA, in collaboration with Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York, have discovered how red wine may reduce the incidence of the disease. Reporting in the Nov. 21 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, David Teplow, a UCLA professor of neurology, and colleagues show how naturally occurring compounds in red wine called polyphenols block the formation of proteins that build the toxic plaques thought to destroy brain cells, and further, how they reduce the toxicity of existing plaques, thus reducing cognitive deterioration.
. . .
Teplow’s lab has been studying how amyloid beta (Aß) is involved in causing Alzheimer’s. In this work, researchers monitored how Aß40 and Aß42 proteins folded up and stuck to each other to produce aggregates that killed nerve cells in mice. They then treated the proteins with a polyphenol compound extracted from grape seeds. They discovered that polyphenols carried a one-two punch: They blocked the formation of the toxic aggregates of Aß and also decreased toxicity when they were combined with Aß before it was added to brain cells.
“What we found is pretty straightforward,” Teplow said. “If the Aß proteins can’t assemble, toxic aggregates can’t form, and thus there is no toxicity. Our work in the laboratory, and Mt. Sinai’s Dr. Giulio Pasinetti’s work in mice, suggest that administration of the compound to Alzheimer’s patients might block the development of these toxic aggregates, prevent disease development and also ameliorate existing disease.”
Human clinical trials are next.
“No disease-modifying treatments of Alzheimer’s now exist, and initial clinical trials of a number of different candidate drugs have been disappointing,” Teplow said. “So we believe that this is an important next step.”
. . .
So drink up, dude!
So it looks like I have a choice, huh,** Shayna**? Die from plaque on the brain or from liver failure?
If I were sure I wouldn’t wind up spare-changin’ on Peachtree Street, I’d take 'em up on it!
Right now I’m eatin’ coconut oil straight from the jar, so it’s not like I’m not “game” to try new things!
Thanks
Bill
Shayna
November 24, 2008, 7:05am
123
Well don’t go drinkin’ yourself into the gutter! We wouldn’t want that for you, either.
My nutritionist turned me on to coconut oil a while ago. I like it when it hardens, and I spread it on crackers or toast. Yum!
Shayna ,
I had a little fun with your linked news story over in my blog.
Sometimes you just have to laugh, and I have just the kind of quirky “gallows” sense of humor needed, I think.
Check it out and thanks again!
Bill
This is part of what they do to try to rule out Alzheimer’s and let it be something else. I have to wear this getup for 72 hours, and I just passed the 12 hour mark.
This is me (don’t laugh, either, godammit!)
Q
Looks like you’ve got something on your mind, Quasi .
WhyNot
February 11, 2009, 3:21am
127
Oh, wow, that picture’s great! You look like a grumpy wizard, Quasi !
fingers crossed that it’s not Alzheimer’s, but something more treatable
Hey, I don’t think we’ve ever talked, but I just stopped in to say your blog is great, Quasi. I have really enjoyed reading it.
tesseract:
Hey, I don’t think we’ve ever talked, but I just stopped in to say your blog is great, Quasi. I have really enjoyed reading it.
I appreciate the compliment. It’s been good therapy for me to write everything down - even on bad days.
Q
Damn shit’s startin’ to itch already underneath that cap!