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Canadian scientists at the University of British Columbia have uncovered alarming evidence suggesting that Alzheimer's disease may be transmissible through medical procedures such as blood transfusions and stem cell transplants.

Published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, the study revealed that transfers of biological matter from individuals with hereditary Alzheimer's to healthy recipients can lead to the development of the disease.

The findings challenge the conventional understanding of Alzheimer's pathology, indicating that amyloid plaques associated with the condition can originate outside the brain's central nervous system.

Lead researcher Wilfred Jefferies, an immunologist at the University of British Columbia, noted the significance of the study's implications.

"Alzheimer's disease may be the tip of the iceberg, and we need to have far better controls and screening of the donors used in blood, organ and tissue transplants as well as in the transfers of human-derived stem cells or blood products," Jefferies explained, Futurism reported.

The study involved experiments with mice bred to carry a mutant human amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene, a hallmark of hereditary Alzheimer's.

Transplantation of bone marrow stem cells from these mice into healthy counterparts resulted in the rapid onset of Alzheimer's pathology, including cognitive decline and the accumulation of amyloid plaques within the recipient's brain.

Moreover, findings from a separate investigation published in a preclinical study underscored the risk of iatrogenic transmission of Alzheimer's disease.

The study indicated the importance of genomic screening of donor specimens before medical procedures involving tissue, organ, or stem cell transplantation, as well as blood transfusions and blood-derived product administration.

The revelations from these studies call for heightened vigilance in medical practices to mitigate the risk of iatrogenic diseases.

Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's transmission and develop effective screening protocols to safeguard patient health.

For now, the medical community faces the crucial task of reevaluating donor screening processes and implementing stringent measures to prevent the unwitting transmission of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions through medical interventions.