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For the first time, researchers have identified cases of Alzheimer's disease that were triggered by a specific obsolete medical treatment.
According to a study published in Nature Medicine, researchers from University College London linked growth hormone treatments derived from dead people (cadaveric pituitary-derived growth hormone) to the development of Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s is caused by a buildup of amyloid proteins in the brain, with risk factors including age, family history, unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and certain medical conditions.
Researchers found, “This transmission occurred following treatment with a now-obsolete form of growth hormone, and involved repeated treatments with contaminated material, often over several years.”