This article––even though it is a case report of one patient––is sufficiently intriguing to share, … supporting the “Hysteresis Model” (small doses of toxic agents can be beneficial) rather than the “Linear No-Threshold (LNT) Model“.
Alzheimer disease (AD) primarily affects older adults. This neurodegenerative disorder is the most common cause of dementia and is a leading source of their morbidity and mortality. Patient care costs in the United States are about 200 billion dollars and will more than double by 2040. This case report describes the remarkable improvement in a patient with advanced AD in a hospice who received five computed tomography scans of the brain, about 40 mGy each, over a period of 3 months. The mechanism appears to be radiation-induced up-regulation of the patient’s adaptive protection systems against AD, which partially restored cognition, memory, speech, movement, and appetite.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4826954/
COMMENT: (Below is a commentary by one of the colleagues on the Gene-Environment Interactions Training Program (GEITP) emailing List, Dan — It should be kept in mind that there are two phases to inflammation: the Initiation Phase, and the Phase of Resolution. What if ionizing radiation helps in the latter phase?)
Also, of interest: all drugs (to date) have focused on inhibition of the Initiation Phase of Inflammation, which Charles N Serhan (Harvard) proposes might actually impede the Phase of Resolution, thereby prolonging chronic inflammation. … Perhaps Big Pharma should begin to focus on the Phase of Resolution.
“Dear Dan:
A few days ago you shared information about a case study concerning CT scans and treatment of AD. I am attaching eight additional papers related to how x-rays/gamma rays have been used to treat many human disease conditions. The historical literature is quite remarkable, although not well known or remembered.
However, it is generally accepted that low doses of ionizing radiation induce an anti-inflammatory phenotype and this may be the mechanism by which radiation can be useful in the treatment of such a broad range of conditions ….. all of which do have a significant inflammatory component. Please share this information with your colleagues if you wish.”
Six references pertaining to X-rays in the treatment of Gas Gangrene, carbunckes, furuncles, tendonitis/bursitis, inner ear infection prevention of deafness, and bronchial asthma and others can be found by googling Edward J. Calabrese, and in YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 86 (2013), pp.555-570 2013. is this REVIEW, “How radiotherapy Was Historically used to treat Pneumonia: could it Be useful today”