Alzheimer's may be caused by a hypothyroid state in the brain
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Jan;90(1):198-202. Epub 2004 Oct 13. Related Articles, Links
Increased cerebrospinal fluid levels of 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Sampaolo S, Campos-Barros A, Mazziotti G, Carlomagno S, Sannino V, Amato G, Carella C, Di Iorio G.
Department of Neurological Sciences, Second University of Naples, Italy. simone.sampaolo@unina2.it
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of rT(3) were evaluated in 21 euthyroid patients with overt Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 18 matched healthy controls. The assessment also included transthyretin and total T(3) and T(4) CSF concentrations. Despite normal circulating thyroid hormone levels, AD subjects showed significantly increased rT(3) levels and an increased rT(3) to T(4) ratio in the face of unchanged CSF total T(4) and transthyretin levels. These results suggest an abnormal intracerebral thyroid hormone metabolism and possibly the occurrence of brain hypothyroidism, either as a secondary consequence of the ongoing process or as a cofactor in the progression of the disease
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Tealady's thoughts
Why the RT3:T3 ratio may be important (how it might work)
Free T3 binding to receptors is a biggie for optimal celllar function though.
Think of receptors like little containers and T3 and RT3 and many other things as a lot of lumps of various shapes floating around.
Receptors(the containers) bind things similar enough to fit in them nicely.
No "zeroing in" intelligence here, just random motion of whatever bumps into something at the right angle to fit in first, so they bind in about the same ratios they float around in.
RT3 looks just like T3, only the mirror image as the iodine came off the other side, so its just possible that for some receptors both T3 or RT3 will be a good "fit".
But T3 and RT3 don't do the same thing.
So if the ratios arent good, given the same no of receptors.. you have less T3 binding.
Normally with a lower binding to receptors the receptor densitiy increase. , a great adaption to try to get more T3 hitting receptors.
But just maybe RT3 functions sufficently like T3 that it signals receptor binding to the body as far as not needing more receptor goes?
I've always stongly suspected Alzheimer's is cause by anything that reduces the brain function to below a good level ..and the longer or more severe the worse the effects.
I think Alzheimer's has many causes like..
low oxygen levels from various causes
a hypothryoid state in the brain
or anything that prevents the free T3 from attaching in an optimal ratio to receptors in the brain, one of which wuld be it too high a RT3 to T3 ratio inside the brain.
Other things that interfere would be heavy metals such as aluminium, mercury interfering
or other toxins that get across the blood/brain barrrier from what we breathe, eat or drink.