Prion diseases are neurodegenerative, attacking the brain. Could they be responsible for the recent wave of Zombie attacks across the globe? Original photo: digitalsextant. I’m a sucker for zombie movies; I’ve watched dozens of them. I am especially fond of the Resident Evil Trilogy, where the T-Viruses effectively restructure mortality and create a world of zombies. There is something incredibly satisfying with the zombie movie plot – a virus outbreak devastates a planet but a group of people are immune and fight to save humankind. Having the ultimate evil as a virus also makes it seem more plausible and compelling. Yet viruses and bacteria do not live in limbo. They are alive and under the right conditions can be killed. Which is bad news for Zombies.

But what if there existed a substance that acted like a virus or bacteria but wasn’t living? Medicine made a revolutionary leap during the time of Louis Pasteur in the mid 1800's. The inventor of food pasteurization and one of the founding fathers of microbiology – he was able to prove germ theory. Food spoiled and organisms got sick because of the growth of bacteria and viruses within them. Within sterile environments, viruses and bacteria could be killed off and food could be preserved or organisms could recover from illness or infection. Sterilization works on living micro-organisms. Prions, however, are not living organisms.

Prions are infectious proteins. For unknown reasons, these proteins refold abnormally and cause a domino effect in surrounding proteins which in turn mutate into stable structures. Prions will then cause tissue damage and cell death to surrounding areas. Prion diseases are neurodegenerative, attacking the brain and are characterized by "holes" in the tissue. The incubation time for Prion diseases is quite long. They usually surface later in life but after they surface, the diseases are rapid and fatal. Such examples of Prion diseases include Mad Cow Disease in cattle, Scrapie in sheep and Fatal Familial Insomnia in humans. FFI is a disease that literally takes away the ability to sleep and in a few months leads to death. The Book “The Family That Couldn’t Sleep” by journalist D.T. Max follows a family in Italy that passes this disease from one generation to the next over subsequent centuries.

Prions have been and still are a medical mystery. What causes them to mutate and aggressively eat away at the brain? How can they be stopped? Because they are not living they are highly resistant to sterilization methods. While viruses and bacteria can be eradicated on equipment through heat, radiation or chemical reagents, Prions are strongly immune. Maybe Zombies are not so far off after all – lurking in the shadow of medicine has been a mutation that is resistant, brain-eating and neither alive or dead. It has some serious similarities to the zombies I have watched over and over again on the big screen.

If you want to learn more about Prions and their history, check out Down to a Science’s next reading group which is focusing on the book The Family that Couldn’t Sleep or check out the book Deadly Feasts: The "Prion" Controversy and the Public's Health by Richard Rhodes. And one more thing – Happy Halloween!

David experimenting with EEGLoyal KQED blog followers have been reading of Dr. Barry Starr’s experience getting his genes tested by 23andMe. He has tested his native American ancestry and evaluated his risk for diabetes. What if Barry took even more tests, from blood toxins to more genetic tests – would that result in a clearer picture of his health? That’s exactly the premise behind David Ewing Duncan’s new book: “The Experimental Man”.

David takes “guinea pig” journalism to super size me heights. He was tested by numerous genetic sequencing companies, had dozens of brain scans, gave gallons of blood for toxicity tests, even had a virtual colonoscopy to understand what “personalized” medicine means for him. His experimentation was divided into 4 categories: genetics, environment, brain, and body.

My favorite experiment was a memory test in which David and I both participated. The study was on how normal aging changes the neural mechanisms of memory and attention; a study run by Dr. Adam Gazzaley of UCSF. His lab uses a combination of techniques including fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging -measures blood flow using a big magnet), EEG (electroencephalography – measures electrical signals in the brain), and TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation – using a magnet to “scramble” regions of the brain).

In this experiment, I was getting an EEG, designed to measure electrical signals of the brain, in this case studying regions controlling memory and attention. I was fitted with a stylish red cap, my head was covered with a conductive gel, and I was seated a few feet from a computer screen. After some careful measurements of my head, I was ready to go.

I was shown either a face or nature scene for a split second, then the screen went blank, then I was shown another face or nature scene. My task was to decide whether the two pictures were the same. Sounds exceedingly simple, but it was far from it. I left absolutely exhausted after just a few hours!

However, my results were excellent. I averaged about 95% correct over 3 hours. According to the researchers, that’s slightly better than the average 18-35 year old. David’s results were about the same, but he is more enthusiastic considering he’s closer to 50. Take a simpler version of a brain age test online.

The Experimental Man with David Ewing Duncan

Where: Atlas Cafe, 3049 20th St @ Alabama St.

When: Monday, October 19th 7-9 PM

Cost: FREE

Details: David Ewing Duncan discusses his new book “The Experimental Man”, his book exploring what cutting-edge technologies in personalized medicine can tell us about individual health and life — past, present and future: genes, environment, brain and body.