Why soldiers have increased risk of developing Alzheimer's?

Soldiers exposed to shockwaves from explosives used during military operations have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

This risk is increased even in those who did not have a head injury. A new study by scientists from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke has shown how these explosions affect the brain. The research results were published in the journal Brain Pathology.

The mystery of the neurological complications caused by the explosion is linked to traumatic damage to tiny connections between neurons in the hippocampus, a part of the brain particularly involved in memory coding and social behavior, the scientists said.

The scientists tested slices of the rat's hippocampus by exposing healthy tissue to controlled blast waves. In experimental brain explants, the rapid blast waves generated by the explosives exploded selectively reduced the components of brain connections needed for memory, and the distinct electrical activity of these neural connections was drastically reduced.

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