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creating an acetylcholine deficiency. A shortage of acetylcholine Sarin and colleagues* were able to show, however, that this metal encourages the growth of senile plaques. Similarly, aluminium had inhibited three membrane-bound enzymes: specifically interferes with the enzymes calcium/calmodulin kinase II and Na+K+ ATPase, acetylcholinesterase and, most interestingly, the alkaline phosphatase, promoting the formation of neurofibrillary myelin-specific enzyme 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase. tangles. Plaques and tangles created in this manner are the hall- This inhibition causes a rapid thinning of the myelin sheath in marks of Alzheimer's disease. Such relationships, therefore, both rats*® and mice,*° and it can alter its composition by explain why this form of dementia is most common in regions of increasing galactolipids and so make myelin more prone to high water acidity, in those members of the population that carry oxidation." It does not seem much of a step to suggest that the APO E4 isoform. these destructive processes probably lie behind the There is, however, more to Alzheimer's disease than plaques demyelinisation and associated retrogenesis seen in Alzheimer's and tangles. David Shenk, **in his interesting book The _ patients. Forgetting, describes Alzheimer's disease as "death by a thousand Beyond this, aluminium also inhibits the enzyme phospholipase subtractions". The scientific evidence appears to support this A2, probably causing brain membrane dysfunctions, and seems to characterisation. In 1980, for example, Barry Reisberg,*” a cause depression of antioxidant status by reducing levels of brain neurologist from New York University, established the presence glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase. As a of an inverse relationship between the progressive stages of result, the lipid peroxidation of cell membranes by free radicals is Alzheimer's disease and those of infant and accelerated.” childhood development. He demonstrated The biochemical evidence therefore is that as the symptoms of this form of senile very good in that in individuals who have a dementia worsen, the patient begits to lose depressed calcium and magnesium intake abilities in cognition, coordination, combined with abnormally high aluminium behaviour, language and feeding, in the absorption, some enzymatic processes are reverse order in which they were acquired in inhibited. This inhibition is most likely to the early years of life. In the final stage of woe occur in enzymes that have aluminium the disorder, the patient becomes infant-like Exposure to acidic antagonists, such as calcium, magnesium and and can no songer wae sit uP without water that contains iron. as cofactor. ns not surprising, hen. assistance, smile or hold up their head. - that since the end result of such enzyme inhi- Reisberg called this process of a thousand elevated aluminium bition is Alzheimer's disease, patients with subiractions "retrogenesis", meaning "back and depressed this ‘om a dementia Xperience a wie o birth". . A variety of biochemical abnormalities, 11 0: Although retrogenesis is not a perfect calcium, magnesium which are discussed in some detail in reversal, neurolog tests do show that, as Alzheimer's disease progresses, there is an almost precise inverse rela- tionship in neurologic reflexes, brain glucose metabolism and EEG activity. As the disorder worsens, all these abili- ties decline. Such evidence led Reisberg to present a picture of the brain as a giant ball of string wound up in infancy and childhood but unwound by Alzheimer's disease. From birth and throughout childhood and beyond, the ball grows rapidly, but in Alzheimer's it levels appears to promote Alzheimer's is unravelled in reverse, slowly but disease. surely reducing the ability of the brain to function. One might naively expect that it would be a relatively simple In Alzheimer's disease, brain damage appears to begin in the matter to pass legislation reducing levels of aluminium in, an most recently and least myelinated area of the brain, specifically promoting the addition of calcium, magnesium and perhaps silicic in the hippocampus. As a consequence, the first symptoms of acid to, drinking water. Not only do governments show little developing Alzheimer's are losses of recent memories. From the interest in increasing the magnesium content of drinking water, hippocampus, demyelinisation begins to impact on the frontal cor- they routinely allow the use of aluminium sulphate as a flocculant tex, adversely affecting concentration, abstract thought and plan- by water treatment plants. This practice reduces the amount of ning ability. This reverse myelinisation relentlessly continues, sediment in the water supply but greatly increases levels of unwinding the "ball of string" in a very predictable manner until dissolved aluminium, especially if the water is acidic.” Clearly, the author's book, What Really Causes Alzheimer's Disease.“ This is why no drug will ever prevent or reverse this form of dementia, unless it prevents aluminium absorption by the body.* and silicic acid levels appears to promote Alzheimer's disease. AVOIDING ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE Reducing Social Risk Exposure to acidic water that con- tains elevated aluminium and depresse calcium, magnesium and silicic acid the primary motor area is finally affected and the late-stage aluminium sulphate must be replaced by alternatives. Alzheimer's patient is again infantile, unable to speak, sit up unas- The Western diet promotes Alzheimer's disease in three distinct sisted or hold up their own head. ways. First, it tends to be deficient in calcium and magnesium,” Interestingly, aluminium is known to damage myelin in making those who eat it very susceptible to aluminium toxicity. numerous ways. Animal experiments clearly demonstrate that Second, many foods are canned, wrapped and/or cooked in aluminium can alter the nature of myelin, accelerate its oxidation aluminium. The more acidic the food, the more easily it appears rates and promote its rapid loss from the hippocampus and spinal to dissolve this metal. Third, maltol is added to many processed cord. Exactly how these procedures occur is uncertain. In a study foods in an attempt to "improve" flavour. ** Maltol greatly of brains from monkeys chronically administered aluminium, increases aluminium's ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and Exposure to acidic water that contains calcium, magnesium and silicic acid levels appears to promote Alzheimer's disease. 36 = NEXUS elevated aluminium and depressed www.nexusmagazi ne.com AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2005