It may be possible to develop Alzheimer's disease by taking growth hormones.
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At least that's what a study found in which five people experienced symptoms of dementia after undergoing hormone treatment at a young age, according to the Chron.
The first symptoms of Alzheimer's appeared when patients were 38 to 55 years old, much younger than the average patient with the disease.
Dr. Susan Kohlhaas wanted to defuse the situation by mentioning that these are the only cases in which this disease was transmitted through human activities and was not developed.
Between 1958 and 1985, particularly young children in Great Britain received growth hormones laced with toxic beta-amyloid protein “seeds.” A treatment that is now banned due to health risks.
However, researchers believe that other medical procedures may be contaminated with this protein, which is one of the causes of Alzheimer's disease.
Until now, patients who received such treatment as children are considered to be at risk of developing this degenerative disease.
Dr. Kohlhaas says the study revealed several new insights into the evolution and transmission of amyloid proteins.