What the New Research says: Are Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease caused by an Infection?

The new paradigm to view AD is the “infection hypothesis” or even the “immune system dysregulation hypothesis” (Fulop T, 2018). The infection hypothesis explains why it is that AD develops over decades before clinical symptoms appear (Fulop T, 2018).

Amyloid plaque is produced in reaction to microorganisms that attack the brain, in response to a threat (Fulop T, 2018). Amyloid is an antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agent that is part of the immune system. It can inactivate invading pathogens (Fulop T, 2018). Aβ is not the cause of AD but actually, a defense reaction (Fulop T, 2018).

The Infection Argument as the Root Cause of Alzheimer’s and Dementia

An infection in brain tissue, viral or bacterial, will trigger an immune response. In the case of Alzheimer’s patients, this response may be ineffective or somehow mis-regulated. For example, chronic bacterial infection can cause dementia (Fulop T, 2018). A spirochete, called Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted by infected ticks and can cause Lyme disease (Fulop T, 2018). This spirochete can contribute to amyloid plaque formation (Fulop T, 2018). It can result in pathological overaccumulation of amyloid, progressive neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. Spirochetes evade the immune defense response and set up biofilms. In fact, the plaque formations are biofilms and are meant to protect brain tissue from the infection (Fulop T, 2018).

A number of pathogens (or other factors) can start the plaque formation process. The amyloid Aβ plaque tries to sequester or barricade these threats to the brain (Seaks CE, 2020). As an infection goes untreated, more and more amyloid plaques are produced, eventually resulting in AD (Fulop T, 2018). This overexpression of amyloid is actually a normal and protective response to an infection such as herpes virus, spirochetes, Chlamydia, mold or other biotoxins (Fulop T, 2018). Interestingly, some pathogens, such as herpes virus and certain bacteria, are found more commonly in the brains of AD patients (Seaks CE, 2020).

-> Infection (by a biotoxin, virus, bacteria or other) may be the Root Cause(s) of AD (Seaks CE, 2020)

As you know, in Functional Medicine, we are always looking for the root cause(s) of any condition. The key root cause in some AD cases may be an underlying infection. This may be a missing link to treating Alzheimer’s.

Type 3 Alzheimer’s Disease

There are different types of AD. One type, called Type 3, is caused by exposure to specific toxins, usually through inhalation, and is sometimes called inhalational Alzheimer Disease (IAD) (Bredesen DE, 2016). It is often due to Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS), which results from biotoxin illness (mold illness or Lyme disease) (Bredesen DE, 2016).

Type 3 is very different from the other Types of AD (Bredesen DE, 2016):

Onset is typically younger (late 40s to early 60s)

Family history is typically negative

Symptom onset usually follows a period of great stress, sleep loss, anesthesia, menopause/andropause, often depression

There may also be HPA axis dysregulation with reduced pregnenolone, DHEA-S and/or AM cortisol

Biotoxins are toxic biological agents, which come from either plants or animals. Biotoxin exposure can often lead to Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS). We know that biotoxins are associated with a broad range of symptoms, including cognitive decline (Bredesen DE, 2016).

The Biotoxins that can cause CIRS include:

Mycotoxins or molds, such as Stachybotrys, Penicillium, or Aspergillus, present in water-damaged buildings

Tick-borne pathogens that cause Lyme disease, such as Borrelia burgdorferi or spirochetes bacteria

Aqua toxins, such as the algae dinoflagellates

What exactly is CIRS?

Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) is a progressive, multi-symptom illness that results from exposure to biotoxins. The systemic inflammation can affect any organ system of the body. People typically have cognitive symptoms; memory loss, mood disorders, brain fog, loss of executive function and fatigue.

Diagnosing CIRS can be difficult. Patients with CIRS are often misdiagnosed as having depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, allergies, fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.

Typically, people who develop CIRS have a genetic SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism). This SNP prevents proper detoxification of the biotoxins and increases sensitivity to biotoxins. 25% of the population has this SNP and thus accounts for the vast majority of CIRS cases.

Type 3 Alzheimer’s disease is one way that CIRS can present. It depends on a person’s genetics, how genes are expressed and the effect of epigenetic factors, such as exposure to biotoxins (Bredesen DE, 2016). Symptoms usually include cognitive decline, executive dysfunction, depression, hypozincemia, hypersensitivity to stress and HPA axis dysregulation (Bredesen DE, 2016). People with Type 3 AD have a history of significant biotoxin exposures (Bredesen DE, 2016).

It is possible that Type 3 represents approx. 10% of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (Bredesen DE, 2016). This percentage might be higher for patients whose symptoms begin prior to the age of 65. Patients with dementia or mild cognitive impairment are not routinely tested for CIRS (Bredesen DE, 2016).

What is the Solution for Dementia?

It is not clear why AD occurs in some CIRS patients but not in all. Genetics may play a role. Or specific mycotoxins or biotoxins may predispose this particular manifestation of CIRS. Other contributing factors like metal toxicity, stress or HPA axis dysfunction may increase the risk of AD due to CIRS (Bredesen DE, 2016).

Patients with Type 3 AD should be tested for CIRS and biotoxin exposure. This is relatively straight forward and can be done following the Shoemaker protocol. Other toxins, in particular, heavy metals (mercury, copper, etc.) should also be considered, as the amyloid plaque build-up in the brain may be protective against these toxins.

If biotoxin exposure is established, it is critical to eliminate exposure and treat the body for these toxins. Following an AD treatment that simply reduces amyloid plaque would actually be even more dangerous for brain health as the body’s natural defense against the toxins would be removed without addressing and eliminating the root cause. This is where Functional Medicine really shines and can help to find and resolve the root cause(s) of any condition. It is especially relevant in this case of Type 3 AD as a result of CIRS due to biotoxin exposure.

Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker is a leading expert in CIRS and its treatment. According to Dr. Dale Bredensen, a leading expert in AD and its treatment, patients with Type 3 AD should be screened for CIRS. Then they should follow the Shoemaker protocol to resolve their CIRS, which in turn will partially or perhaps fully, resolve Type 3 AD, depending on the specific case (Bredesen DE, 2016). Improvement in cognitive decline has been routinely observed in the treatment of CIRS with the Shoemaker Protocol (Bredesen DE, 2016).

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