A dementia diagnosis can come as a shock to the person with the condition and those around them. However, there are sources of help and support for everyone involved. 137 thoughts on “ Does your cat have dementia? 10 foods that can help fight dementia. Two Canadian doctors explain their idea for a Brain Health Food Guide — which gives top billing to some staples of the. WHO fact sheet on dementia providing key facts and information on signs and symptoms, rates, risk factors, social and economic impacts, human rights, WHO response. Dementia — Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, causes and treatments of this mental deterioration. This body of evidence is suggestive of, but not conclusive for, the benefit of a healthy diet on cognition and dementia. Diet can also be effective when it is part of. Alzheimer's Weekly * Free at AlzWeekly.com. Learning to Speak Alzheimer's In this wonderful care manual, learn how to talk to people with Alzheimer's easily. Caffeine boosts enzyme that could protect against dementia New analysis reveals 24 compounds that can help reduce impact of harmful proteins in the brain. What causes Alzheimer’s? Experts agree that in the vast majority of cases, Alzheimer's, like other common chronic conditions, probably develops as a result of complex interactions among multiple factors, including age, genetics, environment, lifestyle, and coexisting medical conditions. Although some risk factors — such as age or genes — cannot be changed, other risk factors — such as high blood pressure and lack of exercise — usually can be changed to help reduce risk. Research in these areas may lead to new ways to detect those at highest risk. Prevention studies. A small percentage of people with Alzheimer’s disease (less than 1 percent) have an early- onset type associated with genetic mutations. Individuals who have these genetic mutations are guaranteed to develop the disease. An ongoing clinical trial conducted by the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN), is testing whether antibodies to beta- amyloid can reduce the accumulation of beta- amyloid plaque in the brains of people with such genetic mutations and thereby reduce, delay or prevent symptoms. Participants in the trial are receiving antibodies (or placebo) before they develop symptoms, and the development of beta- amyloid plaques is being monitored by brain scans and other tests. Another clinical trial, known as the A4 trial (Anti- Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer’s), is testing whether antibodies to beta- amyloid can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in older people (ages 6. The A4 trial is being conducted by the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study. The LEARN study will follow over time older people who do not have beta- amyloid plaques in the brain to determine what brain changes are associated with cognitive decline. Learn more about the drug treatment horizon. Heart–head connection. Several conditions known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease — such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol — also increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's. Some autopsy studies show that as many as 8. Alzheimer's disease also have cardiovascular disease. A longstanding question is why some people develop hallmark Alzheimer's plaques and tangles but do not develop the symptoms of Alzheimer's. Vascular disease may help researchers eventually find an answer. Some autopsy studies suggest that plaques and tangles may be present in the brain without causing symptoms of cognitive decline unless the brain also shows evidence of vascular disease. More research is needed to better understand the link between vascular health and Alzheimer’s. Back to top. Physical exercise and diet. Regular physical exercise may be a beneficial strategy to lower the risk of Alzheimer's and vascular dementia. Exercise may directly benefit brain cells by increasing blood and oxygen flow in the brain Because of its known cardiovascular benefits, a medically approved exercise program is a valuable part of any overall wellness plan. Current evidence suggests that heart- healthy eating may also help protect the brain. Heart- healthy eating includes limiting the intake of sugar and saturated fats and making sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Two diets that have been studied and may be beneficial are the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet and the Mediterranean diet. The DASH diet emphasizes vegetables, fruits and fat- free or low- fat dairy products; includes whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, seeds, nuts, and vegetable oils; and limits sodium, sweets, sugary beverages, and red meats. A Mediterranean diet includes relatively little red meat and emphasizes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, fish and shellfish, and nuts, olive oil and other healthy fats. Catalyst to progress. The Alzheimer's Association was among the first to encourage investigation of the impact of vascular factors on Alzheimer's disease. We have funded such studies for more than 2. Learn more about our commitment to research. Social connections and intellectual activity. A number of studies indicate that maintaining strong social connections and keeping mentally active as we age might lower the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's. Experts are not certain about the reason for this association. It may be due to direct mechanisms through which social and mental stimulation strengthen connections between nerve cells in the brain. Catalyst to progress. Animal studies can be especially helpful in increasing our knowledge about direct mechanisms through which physical and mental stimulation may benefit the brain. Orly Lazarov, Ph. D, received a 2. 00. Alzheimer's Association New Investigator Research Grant to explore the impact of physical activity and an enriched environment on mice genetically engineered to carry one of the human genes that causes Alzheimer's disease. Her results showed that physical and mental stimulation appear to decrease hallmark Alzheimer's pathologies and support new nerve cell growth and better cell- to- cell communication. Head trauma. There appears to be a strong link between future risk of Alzheimer's and serious head trauma, especially when injury involves loss of consciousness. You can help reduce your risk of Alzheimer's by protecting your head. Wear a seat belt. Use a helmet when participating in sports. Many of these lifestyle changes have been shown to lower the risk of other diseases, like heart disease and diabetes, which have been linked to Alzheimer's. You can help increase our knowledge by considering participation in a clinical study. Prevention and risk management studies need healthy participants who are willing to make a long- term commitment to moving the field forward. You can find prevention trials currently recruiting volunteers through Trial. Match. Studies can show that factor X is associated with outcome Y, but cannot guarantee that any specific person will have that outcome. As a result, you can . These studies explore pre- existing behaviors and use statistical methods to relate those behaviors to health outcomes. This type of study can show an . This is why we describe evidence based on these studies with such language as . Researchers follow the two groups over time to see if their outcomes differ significantly. It is unlikely that some prevention or risk management strategies will ever be tested in randomized trials for ethical or practical reasons. One example is exercise. Definitively testing the impact of exercise on Alzheimer's risk would require a huge trial enrolling thousands of people and following them for many years. The expense and logistics of such a trial would be prohibitive, and it would require some people to go without exercise, a known health benefit. Back to top. Selected reports and resources. The Association believes there is sufficient evidence to support the link between several risk factors and a reduced risk for cognitive decline and dementia. Specifically, the Association believes there is sufficiently strong evidence, from a population- based perspective, to conclude that regular physical activity and management of cardiovascular risk factors (diabetes, obesity, smoking, and hypertension) reduce the risk of cognitive decline and may reduce the risk of dementia. The Association also believes there is sufficiently strong evidence to conclude that a healthy diet and lifelong learning/cognitive training may also reduce the risk of cognitive decline. The Healthy Brain Initiative: The Public Health Road Map for State and National Partnerships, 2. Alzheimer’s Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alzheimer’s Association, 2. This Road Map describes 3. Journal of Internal Medicine, March 2. Vol. The author describes the many different kinds of studies commonly used today, such as brain imaging or long- term observational studies. The author suggests that more public health- based research is needed to ensure prevention strategies are positively impacting people at risk for Alzheimer’s. Science, September 1. Despite tremendous efforts of researchers there is still no treatment to prevent the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease. The author argues that to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, studies must begin to uncover biomarkers that might exist even before symptoms are obvious.
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