Alzheimer's Disease....

[shawshank62]

I am doing a report about Alzheimer's Disease, and i was wondering if anyone would know, is Alzheimer's Disease casued by a pathogen? I dont think so, but i wanted to make sure.

[kenyg]

I don't think so. I think the actual root cause is unknown.

[shawshank62]

that is what i thought, and isnt a pathogen usually considered something alive such as bacteria or a virus?

yes shaw

http://www.silk.net/personal/bealesca/fifth/path.html

[shawshank62]

thx everyone

[Theophylact]

Except that a virus isn't usually considered to be alive. It does reproduce, though.

Question: are prions (such as those that cause scrapie, mad cow disease and Creutzfeld-Jacob disease) pathogens? They're not only not alive (just aberrant proteins), they don't even reproduce. But they do seem to catalyze the formation of other aberrant proteins.

[LarrySamDavid25]

I like phunny cows. Mad Cows tick me off!

[shawshank62]

Except that a virus isn't usually considered to be alive.

I thought something like this would come up during this post. So let me clarify, i believe that they are not alive, they do not do the 12 functions that my biology class made, to be considered alive. I am sorry to have said viruses, i was in a rush. But, there is no definite answer to wether viruses are alive or not, so if you have an opinion, feel free to jump in.

Actually Theo may be on the right track...

There are some investigative theories linking abnormal proteins (prions, if you would) with Alzheimers.

Since it has been postulated that prions are transmissible (it's still theory with CJD and other TSE's, even though it's fairly widely accepted), that would make them by definition pathogens (transmissibles agent causing disease). Pathogens don't necessarily have to be "biologically alive" from an epidemiological point of view: they simply need to meet the definition of being an agent able to transmit disease. That's why viruses are considered pathogens. Prions are also considered pathogens by those who hold to the theory of them causing CJD and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.

Cheers
Mick

[shawshank62]

The fact is that there is no exact known cause of Alzheimer's, they think it has something to do with collapse of tangles in neurons, and also toxic plaques surrounding the neuron. Wether a type of virus would do this im not sure, i think there needs to be more info available until we say something.