Health
Alzheimer’s scientists find key to halting brain decline before symptoms
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Scientists may have found a way to stop Alzheimer’s damage before it starts — by “melting” the tiny protein clumps that are the early triggers of the disease.
Alzheimer’s has long been linked to harmful tau protein fibrils that build up in the brain and interfere with cognitive function, but researchers have now discovered soft, small clusters that appear first.
When those early clusters were dissolved, it prevented the toxic fibrils from forming, which could effectively block the disease, according to researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University.
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Led by Professor Rei Kurita, the scientists used precise X-ray and fluorescence methods in a laboratory setting to find the microscopic “precursors,” which measured only tens of nanometers, according to a press release.
Because the tiny precursors were soft, the researchers were able to dissolve them. As a result, no tau fibrils were formed.
Scientists may have found a way to stop Alzheimer’s damage before it starts — by “melting” the tiny protein clumps that are the early triggers of the disease. (iStock)
These results suggest a shift in how scientists might develop Alzheimer’s disease treatments.
Rather than focusing on breaking apart the final fibril formations, new therapies could target the earlier, reversible precursor stage to prevent harmful structures from forming in the first place, according to the release.
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This strategy could eventually be applied to the research of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.
The study did have some limitations, primarily that it involved in-vitro biochemical models and no humans or animals. It’s not known whether similar reversible clusters exist in human brain tissue.
Alzheimer’s has long been linked to harmful tau protein fibrils that build up in the brain and interfere with cognitive function. (iStock)
More research is needed to find out if breaking up these protein clusters is safe and could actually help treat the disease.
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Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, was not involved in the study but shared his reactions to the findings.
“There are three essential components structurally involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease — beta amyloid proteins, tau proteins and neuroinflammation,” he told Fox News Digital.
“In the future, there will likely be triple therapy — anti-inflammation, anti-beta-amyloid and anti-tau.”
“There are already treatments on the market to target beta amyloid buildup, and now here’s a targeted therapy to dissolve and disrupt tau protein buildup before it forms the dreaded neurofibrillatory tangles.”
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Siegel believes this is “bound to be of clinical value” and will likely be better tolerated than other medications currently on the market.
“In the future, there will likely be triple therapy — anti-inflammation, anti-beta-amyloid and anti-tau,” he predicts.
“This is promising basic research that may turn out to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the disease, but it is preliminary,” an expert said. (iStock)
Courtney Kloske, Ph.D., director of scientific engagement for the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, also reacted to the study in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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“This manuscript focuses on altering the structure of tau, one of the hallmark brain proteins involved in Alzheimer’s, and on exploring approaches that could potentially slow or stop disease development,” said Kloske, who was also not involved in the study.
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“This is promising basic research that may turn out to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the disease, but it is preliminary, and additional studies are needed to determine how these findings can be translated into human studies.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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The American Cancer Society (ACS) has updated its guidelines for colorectal cancer screening.
The organization released the update in its flagship journal on Wednesday, noting that the new recommendations “re-affirm” that adults at average risk should be screened for colorectal cancer at age 45 and continue through 75, for those with a life expectancy greater than 10 years.
In addition to the standard colonoscopy, the ACS also recommends that patients receive a blood-based screening test in a doctor’s office, which is designed to detect tumor DNA in the blood.
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The ACS also suggested an at-home screening option that looks for hidden blood and molecular markers in stool samples.
These new guidelines reflect recent advancements in disease detection, as well as a “critical shift in public health strategy to expand screening options and lower barriers to access,” the ACS stated in a press release.
The ACS recommends blood-based testing and at-home stool sampling as options for colorectal cancer screening. (iStock)
Dr. Robert Smith, senior vice president of early cancer detection science at the American Cancer Society and senior author of the report, wrote in a statement that colorectal cancer should be emphasized as a “highly preventable disease as much as a treatable one.”
“By offering more screening tools in our guideline update, more eligible adults will be able to participate in lifesaving colorectal cancer testing, helping to close the screening gap and catch more cancers at an earlier, treatable stage,” he added.
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According to the ACS, colorectal screening “dramatically improves survival,” as studies show early-stage detection yields a five-year survival rate of more than 90% in the U.S.
About one in three American adults are eligible for colorectal cancer screening but have not been tested, although ACS research marks colorectal cancer as the top cancer killer of adults under 50.
Colorectal cancer is the top cancer killer of adults under the age of 50, according to the ACS. (iStock)
People at a high risk of colorectal cancer may need to begin screening before age 45 or be screened more often, the ACS added. Those over 85 years old should no longer be screened for colorectal cancer, per the guidelines.
Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the ACS, commented that “no matter which test you choose, what’s most important is to get screened, and that includes underserved, rural and minority populations.”
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These guideline changes follow a surge in colorectal cancer diagnoses in younger individuals. Recent ACS research revealed a 50% relative increase in diagnoses in adults aged 45 to 49 from 2021 to 2022.
Dr. Aparna Parikh, medical director of the Center for Young Adult Colorectal Cancer at the Mass General Cancer Center, who is not affiliated with the ACS, shared that experts don’t “entirely understand why” cases are on the rise.
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“But it seems to be an interplay of a person’s risk factors, overall makeup and early exposures,” she previously told Fox News Digital. “[Those] include dietary exposures, environmental exposures and possible antibiotic exposures, as well as lifestyle factors in the right host.”
Changes in bowel habits are the primary red flag that should raise the suspicion of colorectal cancer. (iStock)
Another recent ACS study found that drinking heavily and consistently over an adult’s lifetime could lead to a higher risk of colorectal cancer.
Other known risk factors include family history, obesity, smoking, a diet high in red and processed meats, inflammatory bowel disease, and a personal history or family history of polyps.
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While there may be no symptoms of colorectal cancer before diagnosis, especially in the early stages, certain symptoms should not be overlooked, experts say.
Dr. Eitan Friedman, PhD, an oncologist and founder of The Suzanne Levy-Gertner Oncogenetics Unit at the Sheba Medical Center in Israel, confirmed to Fox News Digital that changes in bowel habits are the primary red flag that should raise the suspicion of colorectal cancer.
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Other symptoms include fatigue as a result of anemia, stomach pain or abdominal discomfort, rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, weakness and unexplained weight loss.
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The sudden death of Kyle Busch has drawn attention to a rare but devastating medical progression: when pneumonia escalates into fatal sepsis.
An ER doctor spoke with Fox News Digital about how sepsis can trigger a rapid health decline.
“Sepsis is actually not a specific disease or diagnosis, but rather the syndrome that occurs when the body has certain abnormal findings and a presumed infection,” said Dr. Kenneth J. Perry, a South Carolina-based emergency medicine physician.
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The markers of sepsis include elevated white blood cell counts, a high or low temperature, and elevated heart and respiratory rates, according to Perry. Because of this, a patient with pneumonia is often already technically septic by definition.
In the wake of Kyle Busch’s sudden passing, there is a focus on the rapid decline from pneumonia to fatal sepsis. (Getty; iStock)
While many people assume a worsening infection means bacteria are multiplying uncontrollably, it often has more to do with the body’s internal environment.
“It is often not the bacteria itself that is causing the specific decline,” Perry said. “In most cases, it is a cascade of inflammatory processes that are set in motion by the infection.”
When this inflammation spirals out of control, the body moves from having a manageable infection into severe sepsis. This is when otherwise healthy people can rapidly deteriorate.
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“The concerning thing that can happen with any individual … is that sepsis can then lead to low blood pressure, worsening vital signs and organ damage,” Perry said.
“As multiple organs fail, it becomes very difficult for the medical team to treat and can sometimes lead ultimately to death.”
“The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications,” the family shared in a statement. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
It is very unlikely to have pneumonia and not have any symptoms, according to Perry. Early signs can mimic a severe flu, including fevers, chills, a productive cough, and chest or back pain in cases where the lung is infected.
When sepsis begins to take hold, time becomes the most critical factor. “We have known for a number of years that early antibiotic therapy is beneficial in the treatment of sepsis,” Perry said.
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If you or a loved one are managing an infection at home, the doctor says the following red flags mean you should bypass the clinic and head straight to the emergency room.
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- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- A racing heart rate or fever that continues to worsen even after starting treatment
- Severe chest pain associated with a productive cough
The slide into sepsis is, in most cases, a cascade of inflammatory processes that are set in motion by the infection, the doctor said. (iStock)
While cases like Busch’s are tragic, Perry stressed that this shouldn’t cause widespread panic. Most patients with pneumonia do very well with standard oral antibiotics.
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The NASCAR star’s rapid decline underscores the importance of medical vigilance and “having a primary care physician with whom you have a good relationship,” according to the ER doctor.
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“Monitoring symptoms while having easy access to primary care is a very beneficial and appropriate plan for most patients,” he added.
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