The Wild Theory That Alzheimer's Is a Plumbing Issue - McGill University
mcgill.ca
A new surgery treats Alzheimer's as a backed-up brain drain — but McGill researchers say we should be skeptical of the plumbing theory.
Glymphatic System HypothesisGerm Theory AnalogyReductionismCausal Inference
Theory Briefing
- A new surgical procedure targets Alzheimer's by trying to clear what proponents call the brain's backed-up sewage system.
- McGill researchers urge skepticism, suggesting the 'plumbing' framing may be an oversimplification of a far more complex disease.
- The debate echoes a long pattern in Alzheimer's research where bold single-cause theories attract attention before evidence catches up.
- If the glymphatic drainage model is wrong, patients undergoing surgery could face real risk for an unproven benefit.