Is there a scientific correlation between mold and Alzheimer’s? Have doctors discovered a link that we need to take particular account of? As with many diseases that affect the human brain, we still don’t know enough about how and why they occur. This is especially true of Alzheimer’s disease and its related variants, also known as senile dementia.
If we’ve been following the news over the past few years, we may have heard about mold and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Often these are sensational headlines that imply a link between the two. In this article, we will analyze what is currently known about the relationship between mold and Alzheimer’s disease. Are connected? If so, how? And what can be done to reduce the risk?
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, a broad term describing a severe decline in mental abilities. This decline is often associated with aging, but it can also affect younger people for reasons not always clear. Alzheimer’s disease is the cause of up to 80% of dementia cases in the Western world.
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease associated with the formation of a type of protein called amyloid. This protein is toxic to the neurons that make up the brain and leads them to degenerate. Although the disease progresses differently in each patient, it is characterized by an increase in certain types of abnormal protein deposits between neurons (neuritic plaques) and within the spaces between neurons (neuritic tangles).
Mold and Alzheimer’s disease: is there a link?
The most common types of mold that have been linked to serious health problems are Stachybotrys chartarum and Penicillium. Both of these mold species can produce large amounts of mycotoxins that pose a serious threat to human health. Among the most dangerous are trichothecenes, the most potent toxins known to science.
Mold and Alzheimer’s disease are linked because some species of mold produce beta-amyloid proteins. Beta-amyloid is one of the major components of the senile plaques found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. However, while linked, these two pathologies are not necessarily linked.
Mold exposure can cause a variety of diseases and can result in a condition known as toxic encephalopathy, which can cause a variety of symptoms, including memory loss, headaches, and impaired consciousness. Although there is a link between mold and toxic encephalopathy, it is unclear whether toxic encephalopathy is a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease.
Therefore, doctors have deduced that mold and Alzheimer’s are linked, but not as directly as many believe. Some species of molds produce beta-amyloid proteins found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. However, while they are linked, there is no evidence that mold exposure causes Alzheimer’s disease. If you want to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s, the most important thing to do is stay healthy.