Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.A recent study published in Nature Medicine has uncovered new information on the transmission of Alzheimer’s disease in the human brain, indicating the first evidence of transmission between individuals via a now-banned human growth hormone. The research examined a small group of individuals who were part of the at least 1,848 patients treated between 1959 and 1985 with a growth hormone obtained from cadavers. It was discovered that some of these patients died from the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) brain disorder due to the hormone infusions containing proteins known as prions, which result in severe abnormalities in the brain. The study suggests similarities between the development of Alzheimer’s and CJD and could potentially advance research into diagnostics and therapies for various forms of dementia. The findings also pointed out the transmission of amyloid-beta proteins, which are considered a leading cause of Alzheimer’s, through the patients’ growth hormone treatment. Although the sample size of the study was small, it provided insights into a new mechanism for the onset of Alzheimer’s that could aid in the development of diagnostics and treatments for the disease. Additionally, researchers indicated the importance of reviewing medical safeguards to prevent accidental contamination of patients with amyloid-beta proteins through procedures previously associated with CJD transmission. The human growth hormone treatment has been prohibited since its connection to CJD was established, with synthetic substitutes now being used instead. While the study does not provide evidence of Alzheimer’s being transmissible through everyday activities or routine medical procedures, it has shed light on how amyloid fragments can spread within the brain. This offers further insights into the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and potential new targets for future treatments.
