TAMPA, Fla., Aug 13, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- U.S. researchers say they have
linked oxygen treatment during surgery to hastened memory loss in mice.
The study, published in NeuroReport, suggests elderly patients genetically
predisposed to Alzheimer's disease who receive high concentration of oxygen
because of surgery may start exhibiting symptoms of Alzheimer's disease sooner.
Gary Arendash of the University of Southern Florida in Tampa and Dr. Jackson
Roberts II of Vanderbilt University in Nashville exposed mice genetically
altered to develop Alzheimer's-like memory loss as they get older to 100 percent
oxygen during several 3-hour sessions. The mice demonstrated substantial memory
loss not otherwise present at their age. Young adult Alzheimer's mice exposed to
normal air had no measurable memory loss, and neither did normal mice without
any genetic predisposition for Alzheimer's disease.
"Although oxygen treatment beneficially increases the oxygen content of blood
during or after major surgery, it also has several negative effects that we
believe may trigger Alzheimer's symptoms in those destined to develop the
disease," Arendash said in a statement.
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