A group of researchers from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University are trying to find out why most of the prostate cancer patients end up with Alzheimer’s disease.

One in every eight men is at risk of developing prostate cancer in their lifetime.

They are researching to understand the standard hormone therapy treatment or an overactive immune response, which is responsible for this disease state.

Qin Wang, MD/PhD, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Neurodegeneration and inaugural director of the Program for Alzheimer's Therapeutic Discovery at MCG, said, “We know that prostate cancer itself also largely affects men over age 65, which is a population that's already at a higher risk of Alzheimer's, simply due to their age. What is not largely understood is the role androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) may play in the context of cancer and Alzheimer's disease."

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is used to treat prostate cancer. ADT reduces testosterone, which inhibits the cancer growth. However, the absence of testosterone causes the deposition of amyloid. This amyloid forms the plaques and triggers Alzheimer’s. The researchers also suspect the body’s overactive immune response.

They developed two animal models to make trials, one with Alzheimer's disease and cancer and another without Alzheimer's disease and cancer. They administered ADT therapy and observed for eight weeks.

They monitored the androgen level, changes in blood, and cognitive deficits. After eight weeks, they found an increased amount of amyloid in the brain, which leads to the neurodegenerative process. 

This is a preliminary trial; the researchers are investigating this to explore more.