A byproduct of the banned insecticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is associated with increased risk for Alzheimer disease, according to a small study in JAMA Neurology.
Researchers assessed serum levels of the metabolite, known as dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), in roughly 80 controls and 80 people with Alzheimer's. Patients with serum levels in the highest tertile were over three times more likely to have Alzheimer's than patients in the bottom tertile. Journal Watch
Natural plant compound prevents Alzheimer's disease in mice
A chemical that's found in fruits and vegetables from strawberries to cucumbers appears to stop memory loss that accompanies Alzheimer's disease in mice, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have discovered. In experiments on mice that normally develop Alzheimer's symptoms less than a year after birth, a daily dose of the compound—a flavonol called fisetin—prevented the progressive memory and learning impairments. The drug, however, did not alter the formation of amyloid plaques in the brain, accumulations of proteins which are commonly blamed for Alzheimer's disease. The new finding suggests a way to treat Alzheimer's symptoms independently of targeting amyloid plaques. MedicalXpress
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