136: How to Shield Your Brain Against Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease | Rudy Tanzi, PhD

Neuroinflammation

Neuroinflammation plays a pivotal role in Alzheimer's disease, as explained by Rudy Tanzi. He describes how microglial cells, which usually clean up debris in the brain, can mistakenly attack neurons, leading to a destructive cycle of inflammation 1. This process is similar to how the body's immune response to COVID-19 can cause more damage than the virus itself. Tanzi emphasizes the importance of early detection and intervention to prevent the formation of plaques and tangles that trigger neuroinflammation 1.

The genetics guarantees it. Okay, we have 300 different mutations and three genes, and you have a four, and they all do the same thing. They lead to more beta amyloid.

--- Rudy Tanzi

He highlights the discovery of the first Alzheimer's gene linked to neuroinflammation, CD33, which acts as an on-off switch for microglial cells 2.

   

Treatments

Innovative treatments targeting neuroinflammation offer hope for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. Rudy Tanzi discusses a groundbreaking experiment where two drugs, initially discovered by students, protected nerve cells from oxidative stress caused by neuroinflammation 3. These drugs, when combined, act like a bulletproof vest for nerve cells, significantly increasing their survival rate.

The two drugs together saved 90% of the nerve cells from hydrogen peroxide. I'm like, this is crazy. It's wrong. You got to do it again. They did it again. 95% survived.

--- Rudy Tanzi

Tanzi also mentions the potential of these treatments for diseases like ALS and Parkinson's, as they share similar neuroinflammatory pathways 4.