The most common type of dementia, Alzheimer’s is caused by a buildup of amyloid proteins in the brain, with risk factors including age, family history, unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and certain medical conditions.

But in a study published in Nature Medicine, researchers from the University College London (UCL) linked growth hormone treatments to the development of Alzheimer’s, according to a UCL press release.

The researchers studied patients who received a type of human growth hormone that was extracted from the pituitary glands of deceased people (c-hGH).

The c-hGH has been shown to lead to greater amounts of amyloid-beta protein in the brain, the researchers found. //

The treatment in question has not been used for almost 40 years, having been abandoned in 1985 when it was found to possibly spread Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD,) which can also cause dementia, brain damage, and death. //

The study goes on to note that Alzheimer's disease is not contagious, which no doubt caused many White House staffers to breathe a sigh of relief.

The study, however, also notes that treatment with human growth hormone isn't the only cause of Alzheimer's disease.