Is There a Connection Between Lyme Disease and Alzheimer’s?
For over a decade Country Music Hall of Fame singer Kris Kristofferson suffered from memory loss, confusion, and other issues. Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2013, he began taking 2 prescription drugs for dementia, but they weren’t helping, and he was slipping away quickly.
Then he saw Mark Filidei, D.O., at the Whitaker Wellness Clinic (Dr. Filidei also works at Amen Clinics as the Director of Integrative Medicine). After extensive testing, Dr. Filidei diagnosed the singer with Lyme disease and treated him with antibiotics and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). According to media reports, after a few treatments, his symptoms improved and he told his wife, “I feel like I’m back.”
As the medical community learns more about Lyme disease, it is becoming clearer that its symptoms can mimic those seen in Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In rare cases, a history of Lyme disease has been linked to dementia in later life, according to a 2019 study in Frontiers in Neurology. And research is increasingly finding that Alzheimer’s is more common in those with certain types of bacterial infections (such as Lyme disease, gum disease, and syphilis), as well as viral and fungal infections. The findings of the Lyme-Alzheimer’s connection remain mixed, however, and more research is needed to fully understand the relationship.
As the medical community learns more about Lyme disease, it is becoming clearer that its symptoms can mimic those seen in Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
THE BASICS OF LYME DISEASE AND THE BRAIN
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is caused when an individual is bitten by a deer tick—also known as a black-legged tick—that is infected with a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. An estimated 476,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, according to the CDC, but experts suggest the number of people with the disease could be much higher. On brain SPECT imaging scans, infections such as Lyme disease are associated with overall decreased blood flow in a scalloped pattern. Seeing this pattern on SPECT scans prompts a deeper investigation into the possible root causes. Seeing the abnormal brain activity in people with Lyme disease, it’s understandable that there can be issues related to emotional well-being, cognitive function, and behavior.LYME DISEASE, MEMORY PROBLEMS, AND MENTAL HEALTH
Infectious illnesses, such as Lyme disease, are a major cause of psychiatric and cognitive problems that few medical professionals recognize. In a 2019 study involving nearly 1.1 million people, researchers found that infectious diseases in children and adolescents were linked to a significant increase in mental health problems and the use of psychotropic medications later in life. Lyme disease is associated with a variety of neurological and psychiatric symptoms and conditions, including:- Memory loss, cognitive impairment, and brain fog: The forgetfulness and cognitive issues some people with Lyme disease experience can be mistaken for the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. As shown above, there is some scientific evidence pointing to a link between a history of infection with Lyme disease and dementia.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI): Head injuries and Lyme disease share many of the same symptoms. In a 2019 study, researchers wrote that “an alarming number of individuals” who suffer from post-concussive syndrome and do not respond to treatment test positive for Lyme disease.
- Psychotic disorders: Hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions—typically associated with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia—have been noted in people with Lyme disease. Areas in the U.S. with the highest rates of Lyme disease are the same as those with the largest incidence of schizophrenia. A 2017 trial found that the antibiotics used to treat Lyme disease improved schizophrenia symptoms when used as an adjunct treatment.
- Mood disorders: Mood dysregulation is common among those with Lyme disease. A 2021 study in The American Journal of Psychiatry found that people with the infectious disease had a 42% greater risk of depression and bipolar disorder. Standard antidepressant treatments often do not work in this population. A study from Denmark that followed over 3.5 million people found that hospitalization for any infection raised the risk for subsequent mood disorders by 62%.
- ADD/ADHD: Chronic Lyme disease has been associated with focus, concentration, and attention problems, which may be mistaken for ADD/ADHD, according to research on the illness.
- Anxiety and panic attacks: Case Reports in Psychiatry detailed a fascinating case study involving a 37-year-old man who experienced severe anxiety and panic attacks. Standard treatment with an anti-anxiety medication for these issues didn’t help. Months later, however, after being diagnosed with Lyme disease and treated with antibiotics, his panic attacks subsided.
- Anger problems: Irritability and a low tolerance for frustration are common in people with Lyme disease. Findings in a 2018 study in Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment show that a smaller subset of individuals with Lyme, however, experience explosive anger and thoughts of violence, including homicide.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): Lyme disease is associated with the onset of symptoms related to OCD, such as excessive hand washing, repeated checking, and hoarding. In this study, which appeared in General Hospital Psychiatry, over 84% of those with Lyme disease met the clinical criteria for OCD.
- Suicidal thoughts and behaviors: People with Lyme disease have twice the risk of attempting suicide, according to a 2021 study in The American Journal of Psychiatry. This research also points to a 75% increased rate of dying by suicide among those with the infectious disease.
