Alzheimer's Risk May Be Cut by Changes in Lifestyle

[Guest guest]

By Fauber

Middle-aged sons and daughters of people with Alzheimer's disease may be

able to reduce their risk of getting the disorder through lifestyle measures

such as exercise, avoiding gum disease, moderate alcohol consumption and

drinking fruit and vegetable juice, according to new research.

Taken as a whole, the research suggests that even though family history may

predispose a person to developing Alzheimer's, various behaviors -- if

started early enough in life -- may help preserve cognitive function and

delay the onset of the disease.

" The best time to intervene is at birth, " said Mark Sager, a professor of

medicine at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. " What we are hoping is

that 55 is not too late. "

The lifestyle measures, many of which are also good for the heart, were

presented in several studies in Washington yesterday at the Alzheimer's

Association's first International Conference on the Prevention of Dementia.

The findings come amid growing concern about a looming surge in Alzheimer's

cases in the years ahead as the U.S. population ages. Nearly 5 million

people have the disease, and with the vanguard of the baby boom generation

turning 60 this year, the number of cases is expected to increase 70 percent

by 2020.

Sager presented findings from the ongoing Wisconsin Registry for

Alzheimer's Prevention, a study of nearly 500 middle-aged children of

Wisconsin residents who had Alzheimer's disease. The children, who now have

an average age of 53, have been followed for five years.

So far, moderate drinkers and exercisers have performed better on cognitive

tests than non-drinkers and sedentary members of the study.

" It suggests that exercise may be protective, " said Sager, director of the

Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute.

Moderate drinkers also did better on verbal fluency tests than

non-drinkers, he said.

Sager said he would not recommend that people at risk for the disease begin

drinking, although he would not discourage anyone who can handle a glass or

two of wine a day from drinking. " It's all moderation, " he said.

However, a second study suggests that fruit and vegetable juices may be

just as effective as alcohol. It looked at juice consumption in 1,800 older

Japanese Americans in Seattle. Those who drank at least three glasses of

juice a week had 75 percent less risk of developing dementia than those who

drank less than one glass a week.

" This is the first study to try to get at polyphenol exposure, " said Amy

Borenstein of the University of South Florida College of Public Health.

Polyphenols, also known as flavonoids, are substances found in plants that

have antioxidant properties. Borenstein said polyphenols generally are found

in higher concentrations in juices than in whole fruits and vegetables.

A third study followed 109 pairs of identical twins in Sweden to find any

lifestyle factors associated with developing dementia.

" Studying twins allows us to isolate genetic and non-genetic factors, " said

lead author Margaret Gatz of the University of Southern California and

Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

The study found that twins who had suffered a stroke were six times more

likely to develop dementia; those who had periodontal disease earlier in

life were four times more likely; and those with lower levels of education

were 1.6 times more likely.

Gum disease is considered a marker for inflammation, which is believed to

play a role in brain cell death. Higher levels of education as well as

staying mentally active may help people develop more reserve brain power.

" Good brain health in old age reflects influences that begin much earlier

in life, " Gatz said.