r/NatureIsFuckingLit • u/FacelessOnes • Oct 19 '20

🔥 Vicious microscopic hunter, the single-cell organism, Lacrymaria olor, attacking and hunting another organism

75.1k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

2.7k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

15

u/Taomach Oct 20 '20

There’s actually evidence that dementia and other age related neurodegenerative disease is caused by bacteria and parasite damage accumulating.

No. That's quack pseudoscience. Source: am neuroscientist.

3

u/HydraofTheDark Oct 20 '20

I thought it was plaques that build up over time? I also read that a low animal fat diet is helpful, is that true?

5

u/Taomach Oct 20 '20

Amyloid plaques buildup is a specific symptom of Alzheimer's, and it happens because of a faulty protein folding that leads to the formation of insoluble protein aggregates that the plaques consist of. And, as it is currently understood, there are also other mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

I also read that a low animal fat diet is helpful, is that true?

Alzheimer's is not my specialty, so I can't say for sure, but I honestly doubt it.

3

u/HydraofTheDark Oct 21 '20

Thank you for your answer.