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Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation, stress and candida: Dr. Rudy Tanzi at IHS 2016

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I spent last week in New York city at the Integrative Healthcare Symposium Annual Conference listening to some truly brilliant speakers and would like to share some highlights from the wonderful presentation by Rudolph Tanzi, PhD : What Can Alzheimer’s Disease Teach Us About the Brain, Mind, and Self?

Dr. Rudolph Tanzi is the Vice-Chair of Neurology and Director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, and serves as the Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. 

Dr. Tanzi co-discovered three of the first Alzheimer’s disease genes and has identified several others in the Alzheimer’s Genome Project, which he directs. He also discovered the Wilson’s disease gene and participated in the discovery of several other neurological disease genes.

The focus of his research is in identifying and characterizing the genetic and environmental factors involved in neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease and autism.

Dr. Tanzi shared this fundamental information:

  • the Alzheimer’s disease pathology begins in all of us after the age of 40
  • two thirds of those with Alzheimer’s disease are female
  • and women are especially susceptible after menopause  
  • head injuries increase the risk
  • these genes predispose us to the disease: APP, PSEN1, PSEN2 and APOE

Most of the above apply to me (I know I have the APOE gene) but I’m less concerned about Alzheimer’s disease that I have ever been and this is based on what was shared later in his presentation.

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Dr. Tanzi’s whole presentation was fascinating and the section on fungi/candida, although concerning, was promising because we can do something about candida. This is the paper he shared: Different Brain Regions are Infected with Fungi in Alzheimer’s Disease with this question: Are clinical microbial pathogens triggering Alzheimer’s disease?

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It was really interesting to hear that

  • the amyloid is an antimicrobial agent in the brain and provides protection against the candida/fungi
  • and that that the amyloid plaques also provide protection against Borellia, periodontal bugs, Herpes Simplex 1 and other infectious agents

What was most encouraging was this:

  • your brain can handle tons of amyloid plaques and tangles and yet not develop Alzheimer’s disease.
  • the big deciding factor seems to be inflammation
  • “resilient brains” had plaques, no inflammation and no Alzheimer’s disease!

So these are some of my thoughts:

  • Tanzi did share that many people with Alzheimer’s disease suffer from depression and agitation. Here is a paper I retrieved; it does state that depression is worse when benzodiazepines have been used and we know benzodiazepines have been found to contribute to dementia so we need to consider this too.
  • We also know anxiety is a factor in Alzheimer’s disease and this study “showed that anxiolytic behavior…is predominantly due to cox-2 mediated neuroinflammation induced neurodegeneration in the brain.”
  • Some of the same underlying causes of anxiety and depression seem to be underlying factors when it comes to Alzheimer’s disease – like candida and inflammation – and there is something we can do about this. We can get rid of the candida and can use natural methods to reduce inflammation starting with eating an anti-inflammatory diet with wild oily fish, no gluten, no sugar and reduced carbs.    

Dr. Tanzi also shared these for preventing Alzheimer’s disease:

  • Social engagement (this is why addressing pyroluria/social anxiety is important – interestingly zinc, vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil are anti-inflammatory)
  • Learning new things
  • Reducing emotional stress and deep sleep (this is where my work with the amino acids comes in – interestingly I found this study that discusses how enhancing GABA signaling can prevent cognitive decline in mice with the apoE4 gene)
  • Exercise (also so beneficial in anxiety and depression)
  • And nutrients like ashwaganda and cat’s claw (to address stress and kill infections/candida)

Clearly I have more reading and researching to do! As you can tell I love putting all the puzzle pieces together.

I’ve also got more to share from Dr. Tanzi’s talk and will do so next week. Stay tuned for more information on his “three- dimensional human stem cell-derived neural culture system that recapitulates Alzheimer’s disease plaque and tangle pathology.”

Feel free to ask questions and share your thoughts in the comments section.

 

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Comments

  1. Trudy, how would you go about enhancing Gaba signaling? I had a severe adverse reaction to ciprofloxacin and it did damage to my neurotransmitters….mostly the Gaba. It either clogged my receptors with flouride or killed the nerve endings or just tipped the balance, but I never feel that sense of calm I use to be able to feel. Gaba supplements don’t help at all. Nor has amino acid supplementation.

    Do you have any suggestions on how I can produce more Gaba? The cipro also affected my ability to feel sleepy. I can sleep but my brain never sinks down into that sleepy feeling any more. I believe that’s from a clogged or malfunctioning pineal gland.

    Do you have any experience with reversing the effects of the fluoroquinolines?

    Reply

    • Gail
      I’m sorry to hear about your severe reaction – the fluoroquinolones are nasty. Dr Carolyn Dean talks about magnesium being depleted/affected by these types of meds so that would be something I’d suggest looking into. Getting a RBC magnesium test is the best way to know for sure. Or doing a trial with something like magnesium threonate which is also extra calming.

      Before I comment on your lack of sense of calm and GABA boosting I’ll need to know more about what you tried in terms of GABA and tryptophan (what brands, how much, and how often and the response). Also, have you done adrenal saliva testing?

      I’m assuming diet is good and no gluten, no caffeine, no sugar? animal protein? eating for blood sugar balance?

      Reply

      • Hi Trudy. Thanks for the response and sorry for the delay in getting back to you. [Had to dig through my boxes and boxes of supplements…(;}]

        I’ve tried two brands of Gaba, one being the one you recommended, Gaba Calm by Source Naturals (caps and the lozenges). I didn’t notice any difference.

        The Tryptophan I tried was the Lidtke brand, 500 mg at night. I don’t remember how long I took it for but it made me feel “off” so I discontinued taking it.

        My magnesium tested in the norm from the NutraEval FMV amino acid test. I didn’t notice any difference when I tried Magnesium threonate.

        I was taken 30-35 supplements for over 6 months a couple years ago but it didn’t change anything for me – my energy or my mood. It’s like nothing effects me.

        I am mostly gluten free, dairy free, and low sugar. I can’t seem to be completely off everything all the time but I have gone a couple of months without gluten or dairy and I didn’t notice any difference. I do have a cup of coffee in the morning but I never feel up from it. (I can drink 3 cups and it doesn’t amp me up…nothing does that for me since acquiring chronic fatigue from cipro)

        Here’s a blurb on cipro and Gaba:

        Fluoroquinolones inhibit the neurotransmitter GABA-A. They have similar effects on neurotransmitters to what happens when people go through benzodiazepine withdrawal–antagonism of the GABA-A receptors which leads to anxiety, psychosis, paranoia, paraesthesia, tinnitus, hypersensitivity to light and sound, tremors, suicidal ideation and tendencies, and INSOMNIA.

        I have a host of things it altered in me but loss of joy, calmness and my energy are my main concerns. I’ve done tons of things to help (always out-of-pocket as drugs can’t help me) but I haven’t made much progress. I did have two seconds of joy after 8 cranial-sacral treatments…but lack of money got in the way (and I had to move for work). At least I know it’s possible to feel joy again.

        Sorry for the length of this – it’s an extremely complicated problem because of all the damage it does to different systems (mitochondria toxicity too).

        Anyhow, back to the GABA signaling….is there anything I can do to produce more Gaba?

        Thanks Trudy.

      • Oops, forgot one thing you asked…I do eat alot of animal protein but only organic and grass-feed or pasture raised.

      • Gail
        Thanks for sharing about the fluoroquinolones and GABA. I did some digging and came across this blog post http://www.hormonesmatter.com/fluoroquinolone-toxicity/ and had no idea the effects where so far-reaching and the effects as bad as benzos.

        I would encourage you to go 100% gluten-free and work on healing the mitochondria. And if the cranial-sacral treatments worked then pursue those if you can!

        As far as GABA here are some thoughts: yoga, meditation, heartmath, essential oils, weighted blankets, improving gut health/microbiome (have you looked into Megaspore probiotics?)

        As far as the lack of joy some things to try: acupuncture for endorphin, laughter yoga, massage and the amino acid DPA (all of which boost endorphins)

        Not knowing how you used the GABA and tryptophan I’ll have to say I’m not quite convinced they didn’t work/won’t work 🙂 I don’t mean to be confrontational but it’s just that many so people say they didn’t work and then when I work with them we find they do work (because of how I have them use them – opened onto tongue, another form/brand, starting with a dab, going up until we reach a threshold, having all the co-factors on board etc etc)

        I’m curious if you also have a history of benzodiazepine or SSRI use as the combination with fluoroquinolones seems to make symptoms worse.

  2. THANK you Trudy for this research. I am fascinated and saddened by Alzheimer’s and dementia as I’ve watched my mother with mild dementia living with us and seen similarities between her and my boys with autism.

    I thought it was in my head, but sure enough as her dementia worsened she showed more signs like my one boy who is most severe.
    Of course she worsened quickly after a hospital stay where they gave her Haldol and other drugs to ‘control’ her agitation (she’s never shown agitation before). She lost her ability to talk after that and it has never returned.
    I have her gluten free with us and she is drug free under my care. She is low sugar, lower carb and gets out twice a week to a social day. I would love to at least keep her from declining if I could to save her from being placed? She is 75 years.
    I would also add that hearing loss is significantly more important than we would have ever thought as hearing brings in so much of our social interactions and I seen this in my mother as her hearing worsened and tinnitus developed that she just became so withdrawn. Hearing aids are a commercial arena now and it is a miracle to find someone who really knows what they are doing. I was seeing a little bit more of her speech return, but then her hearing aids got lost and she regressed again.

    I am also interested in preventing this in myself. I have very little sugar, low carb, glutenfree, taking the pyroloria protocol and do http://www.T-tapp.com exercise which is known to be anti-inflammitory and resets hormones (was amazing for what it’s done for my hormones). I’m overweight with adrenal issues and

    I have bad gums from years of low B12 and low VitD and rickets as a kid and have improved them over the years and I went glutenfree, but it’s a constant struggle. (I’ve read Cure Tooth Decay: Heal and Prevent Cavities with Nutrition
    Gallagher, Timothy ) and ( Cure Gum Disease Naturally: Heal Gingivitis and Periodontal Disease with Whole Foods
    Nagel, Ramiel) and do what I can but it worries me.
    I wonder what else we really know about this and how much we can do ourselves to prevent this from happening to our loved ones? to us?

    Your thoughts Trudy,
    Many, many thanks!
    Rita
    (the mom with 3 boys, and a mom with dementia, whose house burned down in 2013) yes me 🙂

    Reply

    • Rita (who I know!)
      I’m so sorry to hear about Haldol and her losing her ability to talk – that’s just awful!

      I’m so glad you raised the loss-of-hearing aspect and I agree with you – it’s a big problem!

      I’ll be sharing more from Dr Tanzi’s talk in a follow-up post. It seems to be very much lifestyle and diet related. One big thing that jumped out was learning new things – can you find new things for your mom to learn?

      Regarding your question about mouth health: I’d suggest looking into low histamine/histapenia as this can often cause mouth/teeth issues https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/methylation-and-anxiety-histadelia-and-histapenia/. I’ve also been hearing good things about oil-pulling and mouth health. A waterpik with essential oils nay be worth looking into too.

      Reply

      • Ohhh Trudy! (thanks for always remembering me!) 🙂

        Where can I learn more about this histamine/histapenia ? I read that link but didn’t see anything about mouth issues? It’s wierd since you mentioned it about my mom who has tinnitus and I bought that Depression Free book and it was so ‘HER”. Now if it’s connected to mouth issues, she also had bad gums and lost all her teeth by 50 years old I think?
        My Dad too…(but he’s passed now) Interesting though is both of them were low in Folic Acid? (is that folate?) (I found papers of my dads needing it) But my mother as well when she left the hospital.
        I’m doing a bit better than that, I still have all my teeth and I’m 47, have kept my weight under 300lbs (most of my moms family were 300-600lbs. Poor things!
        I am also always challenging myself to learn new things…(website design, writing, graphic design, on and on..)
        But what kinds of things could I have my mother learn? Her hearing is so bad now, and with nearly no words it’s so hard to get her to communicate and she never had any hobbies. She also used to tell me how she had sleeping seizures when young.
        My son with OCD has ruminating thoughts CONSTANTLY in his head poor thing… We are looking at all we can buy could ths histimine be something for him?
        Also I get this terrible itchy spots on my hands just out of nowwhere it seems…and then they turn to raised white spots…worse when I itch them, and leaves after 20 min or so. I wonder if this is histamine related? Always on my hands.

        Thank you Trudy for ALL your AMAZING research to help us get well!
        Sending BIG HUGS in thanks!
        Rita 🙂

      • Rita
        I would read the chapter in Joan Matthews-Larson’s book and do the questionnaire. All of these could be related – need for folate, ringing in the ears, poor mouth health and even the ruminating thoughts your son has. It’s more a paranoia symptom with low histamine but since low serotonin often goes hand in hand with low histamine there could be a connection. I like tryptophan and inositol for the ruminating thoughts but I think you’ve tried that with your son.

        “What kinds of things could I have my mother learn” – what about a craft like knitting, crocheting, machrame http://www.redheart.com/articles/how-to-make-6-common-macrame-knots/ assuming she doesn’t already know how to do any of the above

      • Thanks Trudy I’m just scanning the chapter 7 is that the one you mean Paranoia or Compulsive Perfection?
        My son tends to be more paranoid, I tend towards perfectionism…my mom neither i think she was a hoarder?…are you thinking low histamine for my mom and me perhaps and my son? How would I find if low serotonin is a possibility too?
        Yes, we are doing Inositol with him and I forgot about tryptophan! Thank you! So going to restart that. It’s not the brands you prefer but will see how it goes. Poor kid suffers.
        Ahh RUG Hooking! my mom used to do that..I think macrame might be too difficult for her. Thank you!
        Rita 🙂

      • Thank you Trudy!
        I did the questionnaire and for me I came up with 13 for low histamine and 8 for high.
        My mom seems about 8 low and 8 high, but some things I just don’t know as I can’t ask her now? She is obese (her whole family mostly girls were 300 to 600lbs including her mother, bad gums (good teeth), tinnitus and now she seems to be restless. I’d rather not call it agitation, but she gets up and down and paces alot, just a few big symptoms).
        My son was 9 for low histamine but 14 for high histamine, is this even possible to be nearly both? Or just treat the high and it will cover the low? His OCD is so tempermental I don’t want to risk tipping it over.
        I noticed she said tryptophan was only by prescription which I guess is different now?
        On her lists what is best to pick from each?
        I’ll look at the serotonin questionnaire…
        Thank you for helping me wind my way through this. I hope it is another answer.
        Thank you!
        Rita

      • Rita
        I would do the blood test if you can. High histamine is not something I work with a lot but is common in men and boys and folate should be avoided when it is high. The protocols are very different.

  3. Great information Trudy, thanks so much for sharing and so relevant for us here in London as we both have the APOE gene. Looking forward to reading more from you on this fascinating subject. It all goes back to diet and lifestyle – love it! Onwards and upwards! 🙂

    Reply

    • Glad you enjoyed it! and yes diet and lifestyle! I will be sharing more in a follow-up blog so stay tuned

      Reply

    • Cristina
      It’s not always easy to test but candida can show up in a functional stool test (like the ones offered by Geonva and Diagnostechs). I will have my clients do a questionnaire – signs could be vaginal yeast infections, toenail fungus, digestive issues, sugar/carb cravings that are not helped by the amino acids etc

      Reply

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