Common Stomach Bug Linked To Alzheimer’s Disease Risk
A study conducted by researchers at McGill University and elsewhere revealed a potential link between a common bacterial infection and an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. After analyzing and selecting data from a program which has collected the medical records of more than four million people over some 30 years, they found that people over 50 who had symptomatic Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections had an average 11% percent higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s than their peers. This increased risk could peak at 24 percent about a decade after the initial infection.
The authors theorized that H. pylori may have direct effects on the central nervous system, causing inflammation and neuronal damage. Additionally, damage to the stomach caused by these bacteria might hinder the absorption of vitamin B12 and iron, further increasing dementia risk. The researchers believe that treating H. pylori infections could potentially modify the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, although large-scale randomized studies are needed to confirm this effect.
Source
https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.13561
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