Having type-2 diabetes can double people’s risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. This finding, widely covered in the lay media, comes from a report in the journal Neurology. For 11 years, Japanese researchers followed more than 1,000 people aged 60 or older. Those with diabetes at the outset were 35 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those without diabetes; those with the most severe diabetes had more than triple the risk.
Diabetes, however, is only one in a growing list of possible Alzheimer’s risk factors. Having the e4 variant of the APOE gene is another. Moreover, having the e4 variant plus living in a hazardous neighborhood might predispose people to Alzheimer’s even more than just having the APOE e4 variant, preliminary data suggest. Read more on this topic in Psychiatric News at http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/46/8/27.full.
Moderate social drinking significantly reduces the risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, according to an analysis of 143 studies by Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine researchers.
Researchers reviewed studies dating to 1977 that included more than 365,000 participants. Moderate drinkers were 23 percent less likely to develop cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Wine was more beneficial than beer or spirits. But this finding was based on a relatively small number of studies, because most papers did not distinguish among different types of alcohol.
Results are reported in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. The authors are Edward J. Neafsey, PhD. and Michael A. Collins, PhD., professors in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
Heavy drinking (more than 3 to 5 drinks per day) was associated with a higher risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, but this finding was not statistically significant.
“We don’t recommend that nondrinkers start drinking,” Neafsey said. “But moderate drinking — if it is truly moderate — can be beneficial.” Moderate drinking is defined as a maximum of two drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women.[continue reading…]
Adopting a healthy lifestyle really is a no-brainer, wouldn’t you like to think? If only for the improvements in the quality it imparts to living life. Its always been the case that those who adopt a healthier lifestyle live a longer more meaningful life . The looming question for most of us though as we age is ‘will I get Alzheimer’s’ and what if anything can I do to protect myself?
An obvious observation is that if you live longer the more your chances of getting Alzheimer’s increases.
It is commonly known that exercise and antioxidant intake can improve physical health. But could these factors decrease the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease?
Nathalie Sumien, PhD, assistant professor of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, recently received a two-year grant from the Alzheimer’s Association to examine if a healthy lifestyle including exercising and taking antioxidant supplements will protect against declines in cognitive function.
In preliminary research, Sumien discovered that combinations of antioxidants such as vitamin E and coenzyme Q10, or vitamins E and C, have shown the most promise in reversing cognitive decline. Preliminary exercise research at the Health Science Center has shown that a moderate level of exercise training, such as easy jogging or swimming, can have a minor impact on cognitive function. However, recent studies have suggested a negative interaction of these two factors, where antioxidant intake abolished the beneficial effects of exercise.
Sumien’s study will further explore the interactive effects of exercise and antioxidant supplementation on cognitive function in females. It will focus on whether exercise and consuming antioxidants have more of an impact when done early or later in life. Sumien is hopeful results of her study will allow her to determine whether antioxidant intake should be recommended for healthy aged and Alzheimer’s patients engaging in moderate exercise
– Maria Shriver’s father, Sargent Shriver, died from Alzheimer’s in January after being diagnosed in 2003. In her first public remarks about her father since his death, Shriver spoke to Larry King about his battle with the disease, her thoughts on Alzheimer’s research and why the disease is especially hard on women. Her interview was aired in its entirety on Sunday, May 1 at 8 p.m. ET on “A Larry King Special, Unthinkable: The Alzheimer’s Epidemic.”
After her father’s diagnosis, Shriver became a vocal advocate for Alzheimer’s patients, families and caretakers. She partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association to publish a groundbreaking study called “Alzheimer’s in America: The Shriver Report on Women and Alzheimer’s,” which was just released in paperback. Source:CNN
Having type-2 diabetes can double people’s risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. This finding, widely covered in the lay media, comes from a report in the journal Neurology. For 11 years, Japanese researchers followed more than 1,000 people aged 60 or older. Those with diabetes at the outset were 35 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those without diabetes; those with the most severe diabetes had more than triple the risk.
