Alzheimer’s disease has attacked the health of numerous lives across America, and continues to cause havoc today. It is the most common form of dementia, associated with memory loss, disorientation, mood swings, and lack of motivation. Increasing age can be a major factor as a large chunk of victims are over 60. Alzheimer’s functions in stages, with the initial stages being so mild that observation by outsiders can be rare.
For now only certain symptoms have been discovered. The most common being difficulty of recalling newly stored information, but those with the disease can also suffer in solving problems, finishing a familiar task, or understanding spatial relationships. Although the evidence of its existence is identifiable, scientists have been dumbfounded by the source of it for years.
In fact, any kind of cure or treatment has eluded researchers, until now.
A brain suffering from Alzheimer’s collects abnormal proteins that stick together into long fibers and disturb the cell functioning. Scientists believe studying these fibers is what will lead to a deeper understanding of the disease, and eventually a method of combatting it.
This sounds great in theory, but the trouble is that these fibers grow painfully slow. Not to mention they are incredibly tiny and collapse under their own weight.
So where can scientists find a place to study these fibers without gravity coming in the way? Space, of course!
An environment with less gravity enables the fibers to grow quicker and larger without the restriction of their own weight. Not to mention grow at a pace similar to how they grow in the body itself, which provides a realistic playing field for scientists.
The experiment will unfold in a tiny cube of only 4 inches aboard the International Space Station. It was sent up as part of a SpaceX mission. After data has been collected, analysis will take place back on Earth with the returned samples.
The ongoing research has much potential, especially for understanding fiber growth and possibly preventing Alzheimer’s in the near future.
Sources:
http://www.iflscience.com/space/scientists-search-origins-alzheimers-space
http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp