Exploring the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease and exploring new pathways for phototherapy prevention and treatment

Alzheimer’s disease, as a degenerative disease of the central nervous system, has a much greater degree of harm than imagined. In addition to well-known symptoms such as memory loss, spatial cognitive impairment, and personality changes, it can also trigger a series of complex neurological and psychiatric symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions, depression, anxiety, etc., which seriously affect the quality of life of patients and bring enormous pressure to caregivers.
When it comes to etiology, in addition to known factors such as age, genetics, chronic diseases, and unhealthy lifestyles, new research has found that genetic abnormalities play a key role. For example, mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2 can directly lead to an imbalance in the production and metabolism of beta amyloid protein, accelerating the formation of plaques in the brain. Moreover, the imbalance of gut microbiota has gradually been confirmed to be associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The disorder of gut microbiota may affect the immune system, trigger inflammatory reactions, and indirectly affect the function and survival of brain nerve cells through the neural immune endocrine network.
From the in-depth study of pathological mechanisms, in addition to beta amyloid plaques and tau protein tangles, neuroinflammation is also an important pathological feature. As immune cells in the brain, microglia are abnormally activated in Alzheimer’s disease patients, releasing a large amount of inflammatory factors, further damaging nerve cells, and exacerbating the disorder of nerve signal transmission.
In terms of prevention and intervention, genetic testing has become particularly important for populations with familial genetic tendencies. By detecting specific gene mutations, the risk of disease can be predicted decades in advance, allowing for ultra early intervention. In addition to the previously mentioned MIND diet, regular exercise, and social activities, supplementing with specific probiotics to regulate gut microbiota may become a new preventive measure. In addition, emerging physical therapies such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy have also shown certain effects in improving cerebral blood circulation and reducing neuroinflammation in research.
In the field of drug research, in addition to antibody drugs targeting beta amyloid and tau proteins, some new drugs that regulate neuroinflammation and improve neurotransmitter transmission are also being developed. For example, some inhibitors targeting specific inflammatory signaling pathways are expected to alleviate inflammatory responses in the brain and protect nerve cells. In terms of instrument research, optogenetics technology has also begun to emerge, which stimulates specific neurons in the brain through light of specific wavelengths to regulate neural activity. Although this technology is still in the experimental stage, it has broad prospects.
In short, although Alzheimer’s disease is challenging, with the continuous deepening of research, we have made new progress in exploring its causes, preventive interventions, and treatment methods. Paying attention to these cutting-edge information can better safeguard the brain health of us and our families.