It is normal for people to experience a drop in body temperature with age, but a new study has found that drops in temperature can lead to more than just a chill.
According to Alzheimer's.net, the link between dementia and drop in body temperature is not a far fetched thing.
A study from Canada found that by increasing body temperature, they could slow the production of beta-amyloid and improve the memory in mice.
Learn more about this study and how the drop in body temperature was linked to dementia.
Body Temperature Linked to Dementia in Mice
A research team from Université Laval in Canada conducted a study that concluded increasing body temperature could help halt the production of beta-amyloid and improve the memory in mice with dementia. Their study suggests that thermoregulation could also help humans with the disease.
Dr. Frédéric Calon, lead author of the study, stated:
“We know that the incidence of Alzheimer’s is low before age 65, but doubles every five to six years afterward. We also know that metabolism and body temperature decrease as people get older. We therefore tested the hypothesis that the changes in the body’s thermoregulation that occur with age amplify the main manifestations of Alzheimer’s and that a vicious circle can even set in because the disease expresses itself in certain areas of the brain involved in temperature regulation.”
Scientists used mice with dementia (transgenic mice) and mice without (as a control) to test their theory and found that the transgenic mice were not as able to maintain body temperature as they aged and that symptoms of Alzheimer’s were exacerbated when exposed to lower temperatures. They also found that symptoms of Alzheimer’s were mitigated when the transgenic mice were exposed to warmer temperatures.
Dr. Calon noted, “The abnormal tau proteins responsible for neuron deterioration increase more in transgenic mice than normal mice, and the loss of synaptic proteins is more pronounced.”
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