Lyme disease and Alzheimer’s disease both pose a diagnostic dilemma. Lyme disease is hindered by correctly identifying the clinical findings that can be subtle or simply missed. A confirmator\ diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease unfortunately rests on post mortem examination of the brain for the classic findings on pathology. Clinically, however, given the fact that the changes associated with Alzheimer’s have been noted even in young patients without clinical evidence of disease make it all the more diÙ¹cult to diagnose without serologies to help. In these cases, where a diagnostic dilemma exists, disregarding research findings is simply not rational or ethical. A more valuable approach to research and clinical practice would be to approach these dilemmas with epistemic humility. Нis concept is referenced by Kennedy where she argues that a “compassionate suspension of judgment” when diagnoses are diÙ¹cult can only serve to further research, respect patients, and recognize that those findings that are not immediately understood will not be simply disregarded. 

A corollary to the Lyme disease and Alzheimer’s disease potential connection is found in the case of another spirochete disease, Syphilis. Neurosyphilis, also referred to as general paresis of the insane (GPI), was first described in 1809. Initially, GPI was thought to be the result of a chronic inflammator\ process. When first described, the connection between syphilis and GPI was unknown. In 1857, Esmarch and Jessen suggested that syphilis and GPI may be associated based on epidemiological findings. By 1905, the spirochete that causes syphilis was first isolated. Нis spirochete was found in the brains of GPI patients . Once pencillin was discovered in 1943, the number of cases of neurosyphilis dropped dramatically, but not completely . Нose that already suوٴered the long term neurologic sequelae of neurosyphilis could not reverse the eوٴects of the disease. Нese findings made a strong argument for early therapeutic intervention to avoid the long term consequences of untreated syphilis. In 2015, Miklossy compared AD to tertiary syphilis (general paresis of the insane) and found the two disorders to be exactly the same. Нe same plaques, the same neurofibrillar\ tangles, the same beta amyloid, and the same Tau protein were all present; the only diوٴerence was the presence of diوٴerent spirochetes. Treponema pallidum was present in tertiary syphilis, and dental spirochetes, such as T. denticola and Lyme Borrelia were present in AD. In 2015 and 2016, Allen showed the presence of biofilms (made by the bacteria) in the same areas of hippocampal involvement as the senile plaques of AD. Also shown was the involvement of the innate immune system (Tolllike receptor 2 [TLR 2]) to the presence of the spirochetes and the biofilm. He showed how TLR 2 could lead to tissue destruction and to the formation of beta-amyloid (which itself is anti-microbial). Macdonald has also showed similar findings as regards biofilms and beta amyloid.

Journal accepts original manuscripts in the form of research articles, review articles, Clinical reviews, commentaries, case reports, perspectives and short communications encompassing all aspects of related to Thyroid for publication in open access platform. All the manuscript published are available freely online immediately after publication without any subscription charges or registration.

Submit manuscripts through online link: https://www.longdom.org/submissions/clinical-research-bioethics.html or as an attachment to below Email Id

Eliza Grace
Managing Editor
Journal of Clinical Research and Bioethics
Email: bioethics@eclinicalsci.com
What’s App : +1-947-333-4405