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Fungal Infections in The Brain May Cause Alzheimer's-Like Symptoms
A common type of fungi has now been shown to penetrate the mammal brain and trigger toxic amyloid plaques like those associated with Alzheimer's disease.
The findings were made among mice, but the research suggests that a key hallmark of some neurodegenerative conditions could originate from sources outside the brain.
Amyloid protein clumps that show up between neurons are strongly associated with Alzheimer's disease, and are generally thought to be the result of intrinsic stress or inflammation in the brain.
In recent years, however, scientists have detected signs of a common fungus, known as Candida albicans, in the autopsied brains of people with Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative disorders, like Parkinson's.
This has led some to argue that external infections can invade the mammal brain and elicit an innate immune response, which can help destroy pathogens but which may also trigger Alzheimer's-like symptoms if it goes wrong.
To explore that idea further, an international team of researchers, led by experts at Baylor College of Medicine in the United States, has turned to mice.
Previously, the same lab at Baylor found that mice infected with C. albicans showed impairments in memory, but these resolved when the fungus was cleared.
Now, their new research explores the molecular basis of that effect, mostly through 'test-tube' experiments.
First, researchers injected C. albicans straight into the brains of mice. Four days later, the mice were euthanized and their brains were used for further analysis.
Several brain slices were imaged and some cells were cultured on plates.
The findings suggest that once in the brain, C. albicans can trigger two neuroimmune mechanisms, one which activates immune cells that suppress the fungi, and another that triggers them into removing the intruder altogether.
The first mechanism involves a fungal enzyme called Saps, which makes the blood-brain barrier extra leaky. This allows any fungal cells that may be flowing through the body's bloodstream into the brain.
At the same time, Saps also breaks apart amyloid beta-like proteins similar to the ones that form plaques in Alzheimer's brains, which in turn activate clean-up cells called microglia.
The second mechanism involves another fungal secretion, which also triggers microglia, this time into targeting the fungi for removal.
Together, both immune pathways are "highly effective in resolving acute C. albicans" infections in healthy mice brains, usually doing so in about 10 days.
But not all brains are young and healthy. When researchers purposefully disrupted the microglia response in mouse brains, they found that C. albicans infections became markedly prolonged.
"If we take away this pathway, fungi are no longer effectively cleared in the brain," says Yifan Wu from Baylor College of Medicine.
The amyloid beta-like clumps found in mouse brains appear to be sentinels against pathogen invasion, but if these clumps aren't cleaned up properly by microglia, it's possible their presence could prove harmful in the long run.
For now, that is just a hypothesis, but it does align with recent findings that indicate amyloid beta plaques are latecomers in Alzheimer's disease, not the original triggers of cognitive decline.
This could be why treatments that target these plaques in humans mostly prove unsuccessful.
"This work potentially contributes an important new piece of the puzzle regarding the development of Alzheimer's disease," says immunologist David Corry, who led the research at Baylor.
"The dominant thinking is that these peptides are produced endogenously, our own brain proteases break down the amyloid precursor proteins generating the toxic amyloid beta peptides."
But that may not be the case after all.
Far more research needs to be done, both on living animal models and on human cells, but researchers at Baylor are hopeful that their initial experiments can lead to innovative therapies for cognitive decline in the future.
The study was published in Cell Reports.
https://www.sciencealert.com/fungal-infections-in-the-brain-may-cause-alzheimers-like-symptoms
How a Candida infection could trigger mechanisms tied to Alzheimer's
Researchers have uncovered how a common fungus enters the brain and generates toxic proteins implicated in Alzheimer’s disease.
By studying animal models, the team found that the fungus Candida albicans uses enzymes to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and trigger brain cells to both clear the infection and produce amyloid beta peptides.
The findings reveal a potential new mechanism behind Alzheimer’s development, which could open new avenues for novel treatment strategies.
Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and collaborating institutions discovered how Candida albicans enters the brain and triggers two separate mechanisms that promote its clearance.
Previous research has linked fungi to chronic neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, but there is limited understanding of how these common microbes could contribute to the development of such conditions.
In this new study, published in Cell ReportsTrusted Source, the researchers investigated the connection between C. albicans and Alzheimer’s disease in animal models.
C. albicans is a yeast — a type of single-celled fungus — and is part of the natural microflora, which are the microorganisms that inhabit the body.
In normal amounts, C. albicans usually does not cause any problems. However, overgrowths can occur, leading to infections.
The fungus, which has been detected in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, can produce amyloid proteins similar to those that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Amyloid may be generated from two sources
“We wanted to know through this work how the body fights off this very important fungus, Candida albicans, which infects all persons, to the best of our knowledge,” said senior author Dr. David B Corry.
“We showed earlier that Candida gets into the mouse brain from the blood, so here we wanted to know how the brain fights off the fungus,” Dr. Corry explained.
Dr. Corry then pointed out the key findings of this new research to Medical News Today.
He told us that, first, C. albicans secretes enzymes that break down the blood-brain barrier, allowing the fungus to enter the brain.
Microglia, the brain’s infection-fighting cells, detect C. albicans through interactions between candidalysin, a Candida protein, and CD11b, a microglial protein. This triggers the microglia to eliminate the fungus.
Microglia also detect C. albicans through a second pathway — Candida proteinases cleave amyloid precursor protein on neurons into fragments that signal through toll-like receptor 4 on microglia, activating fungal killing.
Importantly, these fragments are similar to those found in Alzheimer’s patients, suggesting that Candida proteinases may contribute to the cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s by generating these neurotoxic fragments.
How Candida breaks through the blood-brain barrier
Dr. Heather Sandison, a naturopath who specialises in dementia care, not involved in this research, said that the current study “further validates previous research suggesting candidiasis can be related to the development of Alzheimer’s disease by triggering the production of amyloid beta, which acts as a defense against candida and other microbes in the brain.”
“This paper describes the mechanism by which Candida directly degrades the blood-brain barrier that is meant to protect the brain from infections like candida,” she added. “Additional testing in this paper also shows that when the blood-brain barrier is compromised for other reasons, Candida is more likely to enter the brain.”
Dr. James Giordano, professor in the departments of neurology and biochemistry at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, also not involved in this research, commented that “this study, using a mouse model, coupled to in vitro experiments, shows that the fungus C. albicans gains access from the blood stream to the brain [presumably] by producing peptides that compromise the integrity of the blood-brain barrier.”
“Further, this study demonstrated that C. albicans produces other peptides that can activate amyloid pathways that are involved in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer’s — and other forms of —dementia,” Dr. Giordano explained.
more…
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-a-candida-infection-could-trigger-mechanisms-tied-to-alzheimers#How-Candida-breaks-through-the-blood-brain-barrier
Potential implications for developing new treatment strategies
Dr. Corry highlighted that “our findings suggest, but do not [yet] prove, that infections related to Candida albicans can be detrimental to brain health.”
“Because of the link to Alzheimer’s disease as suggested by the fragments created by the fungus and the additional evidence presented by other groups suggesting that C. albicans is in fact present in the Alzheimer’s disease brain, our findings provide further evidence linking C. albicans to Alzheimer’s disease.”
– Dr. David B. Corry
“Our work has emphasized how the brain rids itself of Candida, but they suggest specific ways of improving these pathways to more effectively counter the fungus,” he further explained.
Dr. Sandison further noted that “this is a mouse model, and although the research in mice models does not always translate to human models, this research offers a reminder to avoid candidiasis generally.”
“Strategies for avoiding Candida growth include a low-sugar diet, avoid overuse of antibiotics or immunosuppressive medications like steroids, use probiotics or fermented foods following a course of antibiotics, consider increasing your consumption of foods and herbs with natural antifungal properties like coconut oil, garlic, and oregano,” Dr. Sandison highlighted.
Although several studies have shown links between microbes and Alzheimer’s disease, there are many modifiable risk factors that are associated with Alzheimer’s, explained Dr. Sandison.
These include sleep deprivation, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, hearing loss, and social isolation.
“I recommend my patients focus on the modifiable risk factors they can control to reduce their risk of dementia as much as possible as they age,” she told us.
Dr. Giordano concluded that “this research further clarifies the mechanisms by which microglia — immunological cells of the brain — initiate and sustain responses to suppress the pathologic effects of the fungus C. albicans.”
“These findings, although demonstrated in a mouse model, may be important to advancing human research that could lead to improved therapeutics against cerebral fungal infections, which can occur in immunocompromised, and/or chronically ill, hospitalized patients.”
– Dr. James Giordano
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-a-candida-infection-could-trigger-mechanisms-tied-to-alzheimers#Potential-implications-for-developing-new-treatment-strategies
thanks anon
in the time that you've been here, have you ever seen the chart reflect that constant pulsation though?
that'll do it
tyvm
right
I get that
then why did the Schumann chart not show steady rhythmic pulsations before???
something different is happening
thanks for all of the info, but if you're saying that is the reason, then why was the chart not like this before???
please tell me you get the point I'm making
something different than before is happening on the chart
Ruling party thwarts impeachment of South Korean president
Only three members of the People Power Party took part in the voting, according to Yonhap news agency
South Korea’s ruling party has boycotted a vote on the impeachment of the country’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, over his imposition of martial law earlier this week. The walkout led to the motion being scrapped due to the lack of a quorum.
Only three MPs from Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) took part in the voting at the National Assembly, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported on Saturday.
Earlier during the session, the members of PPP participated in full strength in a re-vote on a bill urging a special counsel investigation into corruption allegations against first lady Kim Keon Hee, which ended up being rejected.
However, when the time came to vote on the president’s impeachment, almost all of them stood up and walked out of the main hall.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik from the main opposition Democratic Party called on the PPP lawmakers to return.
“You must vote. That is the duty of a patriot, a National Assembly member of the Republic of Korea and an institution that represents the people,” Woo insisted, but his calls were in vain.
After the PPP, which holds 108 seats in the legislature, left the chamber, only 195 MPs remained for the vote. In order for Yoon to be impeached, the motion had to be supported by at least 200 deputies out of 300 in the parliament.
The next available date the South Korean lawmakers can vote on Yoon’s impeachment is Wednesday, December 11.
Earlier on Saturday, the president delivered his first public address since the start of the crisis, saying that he was “deeply sorry” for imposing martial law and has vowed not to do so again.
Yoon stressed that he “will not avoid legal and political responsibility” for his actions. “I will entrust my party with methods to stabilize the political situation, including the remainder of my term,” he said.
On Tuesday, Yoon delivered a surprise televised address, declaring emergency martial law on the grounds that the opposition – which he accused of being sympathetic towards North Korea – had allegedly been preparing a “rebellion.”
READ MORE: Coup attempt in South Korea: What was it all about?
Within hours, 190 lawmakers, who managed to access the National Assembly despite military cordons, voted unanimously to lift the decree. Thousands of people took to the streets to condemn their president’s actions.
Less than six hours after imposing martial law, Yoon announced that he had decided to retract his decision.
https://www.rt.com/news/608892-south-korea-president-impeachment/
South Korean police investigating president for ‘insurrection’
The head of state, Yoon Suk Yeol, also faces impeachment after parliament blocked his attempt to impose martial law
South Korean police have launched a probe targeting President Yoon Suk Yeol, after he briefly imposed martial law, a senior officer has announced.
The head of the National Police Agency’s investigation headquarters, Woo Jong-soo, told South Korean lawmakers that “the case has been assigned” against Yoon, AFP news agency reported on Thursday.
According to Woo, the president is suspected of “insurrection.”
The crisis in South Korea erupted on Tuesday when Yoon delivered a surprise televised address declaring emergency martial law, on the grounds that the opposition – which he accused of being sympathetic towards the North – had been preparing a “rebellion.”
Within hours, 190 lawmakers, who managed to access the National Assembly despite military cordons, voted unanimously to lift the decree. Thousands of people took to the streets to condemn the president’s actions.
Early on Wednesday, Yoon said he had decided to lift martial law, less than six hours after imposing it. Later that day, the opposition Democratic Party, which has a majority in parliament, announced that it would file a motion to impeach the head of state.
Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) has said it will block the attempt to impeach the president.
“All 108 lawmakers of the People Power party will stay united to reject the president’s impeachment,” the party’s floor leader, Choo Kyung-ho, told a live-streamed party meeting.
The head of PPP, Han Dong-hoon, told reporters that by resisting the impeachment, his party is “not trying to defend the president’s unconstitutional martial law.”
According to Yonhap news agency, the opposition plans to hold an impeachment vote in parliament on Saturday, and needs the backing of just eight PPP members to succeed.
READ MORE: North Korea has every reason to be wary of South – Moscow
If the motion passes, Yoon will be suspended, pending a verdict by the Constitutional Court. If the judges confirm the impeachment, a new election will be held in South Korea within two months.
https://www.rt.com/news/608747-police-south-korea-president/
>Probably the same fucker who put it in hamburger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LjgZy8IEmU
Holodomor info needs to be included in that.