Could fungus be the cause of Alzheimer’s?

ALZHEIMER’S disease could be caused by a fungus growing in the brain, researchers say.

Yeasts and moulds were found in grey matter and blood vessels of all dementia patients studied. By contrast, the brains of healthy people were free of fungi.

The Spanish researchers said fungal infection can ‘readily explain’ all the symptoms of Alzheimer’s – and could be the cause of the neurodegenerative disease.

The study is the second in a matter of weeks to question whether it is possible to catch the disease, after UK research suggested it could be spread through blood transfusions, operations and even dental work.

It was previously thought that Alzheimer’s was either caused by faulty genes or a combination of bad luck and ageing. The latest study will further fuel concern that Alzheim- er’s is a disease you can catch, possibly from breathing in spores. Much more work is needed to confirm the link. But the discovery could lead to much-needed new treatments. There are about 38,000 people in Ireland with the disease.

Researchers from the Autonomous University of Madrid found traces of several types of fungus in the brains of 11 people who had died with Alzheimer’s.

They said the range of fungi might explain why the disease can vary so much from patient to patient. Writing in the journal Scientific Reports, they pointed out that if the condition was caused by a fungus, this could help explain why drug trials had had disappointing results.

It also means existing antifungal drugs could treat it successfully.