Alzheimer ’s Disease: Possible Mechanisms Behind Neurohormesis Induced by Exposure to Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation
Journal Title: Journal of Biomedical Physics and Engineering - Year 2018, Vol 8, Issue 2
Abstract
In 2016, scientists reported that human exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation (CT scans of the brain) might relieve symptoms of both Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson disease (PD). The findings were unbelievable for those who were not familiar with neurohormesis. X-ray stimulation of the patient’s adaptive protection systems against neurodegenerative diseases was the mechanism proposed by those authors. Now, some more recent studies performed in the field of neurobiological research confirm that low levels of stress can produce protective responses against the pathogenic processes. This paper outlines possible protective consequences of LDR in preventing the pathogenesis of AD through mechanisms such as restoring the myelin sheath and preventing neurodegeneration caused by oxidative stress. Focal demyelination is frequently reported in the proximity of beta-amyloid plaques within neocortex. Extracellular accumulation of amyloid is among well-characterized pathological changes in AD. It should be noted that LDR has been shown to contribute to the regeneration and functional recovery after transverse peripheral nerve injury (through inducing increased production of VEGF and GAP-43), which advances both the axonal regeneration and myelination. Another mechanism which is possibly involved is preventing neurodegeneration caused by oxidative stress. While high doses can induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation, substantial evidence now indicates that LDR can mitigate tissue damage through antioxidant defenses. Although adult neurogenesis has been reported to be beneficial for the regeneration of nervous system, some studies demonstrate that neurogenesis increases in AD brains. In spite of these reports, cellular therapy is introduced as a promising strategy for AD, and hence, LDR can affect the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. Although such mechanisms are not fully known yet, it is hoped that this paper would foster further investigation into the mechanisms of this phenomenon, which accordingly improves human health.
Authors and Affiliations
J. J. Bevelacqua, S. M. J. Mortazavi
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP453806
- DOI -
- Views 105
- Downloads 0
Diagnosis of OCD Patients Using Drawing Features of Bender Gestalt Shapes
Background: Since psychological tests such as questionnaire or drawing tests are almost qualitative, their results carry a degree of uncertainty and sometimes subjectivity. The deficiency of all drawing test is that the...
Detection and Characterization of Human Teeth Caries Using 2D Correlation Raman Spectroscopy
Background: Carious lesions are formed by a complex process of chemical interaction between dental enamel and its environment. They can cause cavities and pain, and are expensive to fix. It is hard to characterize in viv...
Investigating the Effect of Air Cavities of Sinuses on the Radiotherapy Dose Distribution Using Monte Carlo Method
Background: Considering that some vital organs exist in the head and neck region, the treatment of tumors in this area is a crucial task. The existence of air cavities, namely sinuses, disrupt the radiotherapy dose distr...
Evaluation of Radiation Exposure to Staff and Environment Dose from [18F]-FDG in PET/CT and Cyclotron Center using Thermoluminescent Dosimetry
Background: PET/CT imaging using [18F]-FDG is utilized in clinical oncology for tumor detecting, staging and responding to therapy procedures. Essential consideration must be taken for radiation staff due to high gamma r...
Evaluation of the Validity of a Nonlinear J-Shaped Dose-Response Relationship in Cancers Induced by Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields
The radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) produced by widely used mobile phones are classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Current data on the relat...