i think the brain is like a muscle that needs to be worked in order to keep it functioning .
On Dec 8, 5:51 am, rigsy03 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I think Alzheimer's is heriditary and depends on good genes and a > sparkling curious mind. My mind sparkles so frequently I have to calm > it down with American whiskey! :-) > > On Dec 8, 4:46 am, Liberal mike 532 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Attacking Alzheimer's with Red Wine and > > Marijuanahttp://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/110806/ > > Two new studies point to a wonderful way to ward off Alzheimer's > > disease and other forms of age-related memory loss. This article > > first > > appeared on Miller-McCune.com. > > > Two new studies suggest that substances usually associated with > > dulling the mind -- marijuana and red wine -- may help ward off > > Alzheimer's disease and other forms of age-related memory loss. Their > > addition comes as another study dethrones folk remedy ginkgo biloba > > as > > proof against the disease. > > > At a November meeting of the Society of Neuroscience in Washington, > > D.C., researchers from Ohio State University reported that THC, the > > main psychoactive substance in the cannabis plant, may reduce > > inflammation in the brain and even stimulate the formation of new > > brain cells. > > > Meanwhile, in the Nov. 21 issue of the Journal of Biological > > Chemistry, neurologist David Teplow of the University of California, > > Los Angeles reported that polyphenols -- naturally occurring > > components of red wine -- block the formation of proteins that build > > the toxic plaques thought to destroy brain cells. In addition, these > > substances can reduce the toxicity of existing plaques, thus reducing > > cognitive deterioration. > > > Together, the studies suggest scientists are gaining a clearer > > understanding of the mechanics of memory deterioration and > > discovering > > some promising approaches to prevention. > > > Previous research has suggested that polyphenols -- which are found > > in > > high concentrations in tea, nuts and berries, as well as cabernets > > and > > merlots -- may inhibit or prevent the buildup of toxic fibers in the > > brain. These fibers, which are primarily composed of two specific > > proteins, form the plaques that have long been associated with > > Alzheimer's disease. > > > UCLA's Teplow and his colleagues monitored how these proteins folded > > up and stuck to each other to produce aggregates that killed nerve > > cells in mice. They then treated the proteins with a polyphenol > > compound extracted from grape seeds. They discovered the polyphenols > > blocked the formation of the toxic aggregates. > > > "What we found is pretty straightforward," Teplow declared. "If the > > amyloid beta proteins can't assemble, toxic aggregates can't form, > > and, thus, there is no toxicity." If this also proves true in human > > brains, it means administration of the compound to Alzheimer's > > patients could "prevent disease development and also ameliorate > > existing disease," he said. Human clinical trials are upcoming. > > > At Ohio State, researchers led by psychologist Gary Wenk are studying > > the protective effects of tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as > > THC. > > They found that administering a THC-like synthetic drug to older rats > > performed better at a memory test than a control group of non- > > medicated elderly rodents. > > > In some of the rats, the drug apparently lowered inflammation in the > > hippocampus -- the region of the brain responsible for short-term > > memory. It also seems to have stimulated the generation of new brain > > cells. > > > "When we're young, we reproduce neurons and our memory works fine," > > said co-author Yannick Marchalant, another Ohio State psychologist. > > "When we age, the process slows down, so we have a decrease in new > > cell formation in normal aging. You need those cells to come back and > > help form new memories, and we found that this THC-like agent can > > influence creation of those cells." > > > Wenk added two cautionary notes to his report. First, to be > > effective, > > any such treatment along these lines would have to take place before > > memory loss is obvious. Second, the researchers still have much work > > to do. > > > "We need to find exactly which receptors are most crucial" to the > > generation of new brain cells, he said. This discovery would "ideally > > lead to the development of drugs that specifically activate those > > receptors." > > > In the meantime, should aging baby boomers who are worried about old- > > age mental impairment light up a joint? Wenk was cautious in his > > answer, no doubt because marijuana is suspected to be harmful to > > health in other ways. > > > "Could people smoke marijuana to prevent Alzheimer's disease if the > > disease is in the family? We're not saying that, but it might > > actually > > work," he said. "What we are saying is it appears that a safe, legal > > substance the mimics those important properties of marijuana can work > > on receptors in the brain to prevent memory impairments in aging. So > > that's really hopeful."- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. 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