Half of Alzheimer's Cases Preventable?

More than half of the cases of Alzheimer's disease worldwide could be prevented if enough people made relatively simple lifestyle changes. Evidence presented at the Alzheimer Association's International Conference in Paris in July illustrated that seven factors are associated with up to half of all Alzheimer's cases:

1. Low education (possibly because less education means less opportunity to develop neural connections to carry into old age)
2. Smoking
3. Untreated or inadequately treated depression
4. Mid-life high blood pressure
5. Diabetes
6. Mid-life obesity

The risk factors were gleaned from research performed by Deborah Barnes, Ph.D., a mental health researcher at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, who analyzed studies from around the world that included data from hundreds of thousands of participants. Researchers estimated that cutting these risk factors by 25 percent could reduce Alzheimer's incidence worldwide by three million cases and by half a million fewer cases in the U.S.
My take? Considering that Alzheimer's cases are expected to triple by 2050 to about 106 million worldwide, it isn't too soon to adopt preventive strategies. Also, consider that most of the lifestyle risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease, including smoking, inactivity, high blood pressure, diabetes and mid-life obesity, also raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. Making these changes would be good for your body as well as your brain. As far as low education is concerned, it isn't too late to add to your brain power by challenging your mind. I've long recommended strategies such as reading newspapers and books, learning dance steps, doing crossword puzzles, playing musical instruments, participating in ongoing education and learning a new language.

Related articles

• Diet and Alzheimer's Disease (beinhealthwomen.blogspot.com)

Posted in: Alzheimer,Alzheimer Disease,Health,Risk factor