Svetlana Ukraintseva, PhD, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, discusses the repurposing of existing vaccines as a treatment option for Alzheimer’s disease. There have been different infectious agents linked with the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr Ukraintseva proposes that there is a correlation between Alzheimer’s disease and compromised immunity rather than a link with a specific pathogen. Being vaccinated against pneumonia was significantly associated with reduced risk of acquiring Alzheimer’s disease- with the largest reduction of risk in those vaccinated against pneumonia and non-carriers of the rs207560 G allele, a known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Further, this genetic risk factor could be so significant that it masks the beneficial impact of the vaccine. This interview was recorded during an online conference call with The Video Journal of Dementia (VJDementia).
