Understanding the Environmental Factors that Can Contribute to Alzheimer’s to Aid in the Design of Treatments
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.416Keywords:
Alzheimer's Disease, Environmental Factors, treatmentAbstract
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that is estimated to affect over 6.7 million Americans age 65 and over as of 2023 ("About Alzheimer's Disease"). There is abundant evidence that AD is caused by the misfolding of proteins and the accumulation of these non-functional aggregates in the brain. Some genes have been indicated in AD, but these genes do not account for all cases, suggesting that environmental factors substantially affect the onset of the disease. Environmental factors related to Alzheimer's include education, other pre-existing diseases such as diabetes, and lifestyle. This review aims to summarize the findings of the correlation between AD with these three categories. A greater understanding of these factors could allow for better preventative approaches to treating the disease.
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