For many years, a study that tracked nuns belonging to the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Mankato, MN has produced interesting theories about the origin and nature of Alzheimer's disease. Through the study, researchers found that compared to their less intellectually minded sisters, nuns with better education and verbal skills as young adults in their 20s were less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease in old age. And now new research published recently in the journal Neurology offers an "intriguing twist" to the data.

Specifically, investigators from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD autopsied the brains of 38 nuns, including 10 with Alzheimer's, 5 with mild dementia, 13 with no brain abnormalities and 10 with "asymptomatic" Alzheimer's. In this last group, the nuns had developed plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that usually lead to dementia, but did not have any behavioral symptoms of the disease. The researchers reviewed essays that the asymptomatic nuns had written, finding that those essays contained more developed ideas than writings produced by the 10 nuns with Alzheimer's. They also found that the cells and neurons in the brains of the asymptomatic group were larger, which they believe may potentially compensate for the damaged Alzheimer's afflicted cells.

News Release: Young adults with strong language skills at lower risk for Alzheimer's later, research suggests http://www.mcknights.com/Young-adults-with-strong-language-skills-at-lower-risk-for-Alzheimers-later-research-suggests/article/139887/ July 13, 2009

News Release: Alzheimer's update http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/12/AR2009071202083_2.html July 13, 2009