In the last few years I’ve watched my grandmother sink into the mysterious depths of her Alzheimer’s disease. However, as she approaches 90 years old it is not just her mind that is failing, as she struggles to regulate her cardiovascular (heart and blood pressure) and gastrointestinal (stomach, intestines) systems. Therefore, is Alzheimer’s really a disease or is it just a condition that is part of the normal human process of aging?
Although it may be tempting to call it a disease because it isn’t readily apparent in every individual, Alzheimer’s may be considered for classification as part of the aging process, similar to the slowing down and general decline of many other essential organ systems, albeit much more sad. However, much of the focus of aging is on the cognitive and behavioral aspects, perhaps because other organs may be replaced or otherwise supported functionally with treatment, or because there is a general consensus that the essence of a person is in their personality and intellect which disappear with declining mental health. While in the not-so-distant past, Grandma just became increasingly forgetful as she aged, today even the most elderly are subjected to batteries of tests looking for abnormally high levels of forgetfulness in 80 and 90 year olds. Yes, Alzheimer’s in the younger-onset demographic is most likely a disease, but once an individual is at a point where multiple organ systems aren’t functioning properly, forcing them to be on inordinately large numbers of pills per day to simply stay alive, is the mental decline of Alzheimer’s really more of a disease than the natural aging of the rest of the body?
Aging, however, is a complex equation; for example, why do people and their respective organ systems age at different rates? One aspect of rate of aging may be lifestyle. A large lifestyle concern in the US in particular, is obesity and the wide range of disease that accompany overeating and sedentary lifestyle: one of these is type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). There are studies that show a connection between neuronal insulin action (part of T2DM) and the development of Alzheimer’s. This may be driven by inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS), providing the cellular processes contributing to neuroinflammation as a target for research.
Because of the natural aging process that effects the brain, this research should not focus on finding a “cure” for Alzheimer’s, but rather more productive and high-impact aspects of the condition. This is not to say that research should not be undertaken; rather, the research should focus on learning more about the etiology and pathology (for lack of a better term) of Alzheimer’s and comfort of the individual and family during the end of life stages. There should continue to be research for treatment and a possible “cure” for younger-onset versions of Alzheimer’s. Besides, to “cure” Alzheimer’s, we’d have to virtually pause or reverse aging, which is just far too ethically controversial.
Is it time to forget about finding a “cure” for Alzheimer’s disease?
