Lifestyle

 

 

Lifestyle Therapies

relative to Brain Aging and Medicinal Applications for

Alzheimer’s Disease

 

Research about Alzheimer’s Disease suggests a change in Lifestyle particulars may encourage a delay or prevention of Alzheimer’s. Exercise and Nutrition are key.

 

 

Lifestyle

 

 

DISCLAIMER: This information is offered purely as a prompt suggesting the reader take whatever appropriate steps he or she deems necessary in order to acquire more complete education pertinent to Alzheimer’s Disease. To the best of my knowledge, any and all statements throughout this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, the AMA or any medical professional other than the author of the piece you might read or watch. Any suggestions made or product identified on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

 

 

Article Furnished by… World Health.net

 

Literature Review 2009

Lifestyle Choices for Prevention and Intervention

Compiled by Dr. Ronald Klatz, M.D., D.O., President,
and
Dr. Robert Goldman, M.D., Ph.D., D.O., FAASP, Chairman -
The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M)
As a Public Information Service

 

 

Exercise the Brain To Help Ward Off Memory Loss Later in Life

Previously, a number of studies have suggested the benefits of participating in mentally stimulating activities to help delay or prevent memory loss. Yonas Geda, from the Mayo Clinic (Minnesota USA), and colleagues studied 197 men and women, ages 70 to 89, with mild cognitive impairment, or diagnosed memory loss, and 1,124 people that age with no memory problems. Both groups were surveyed as to their daily activities within the past year and in middle age, when they were between 50 to 65 years old. The researchers found that during later years, reading books, playing games, participating in computer activities and doing craft activities such as pottery or quilting led to a 30 to 50% decrease in the risk of developing memory loss (as compared to people who did not engage in these activities.) Additionally, the team found that those who watched television for less than seven hours a day in later years were 50% less likely to develop memory loss than people who watched for more than seven hours a day. The researchers comment that: “This study is exciting because it demonstrates that aging does not need to be a passive process. By simply engaging in cognitive exercise, you can protect against future memory loss.”

[Geda YE, et al "Cognitive activities are associated with decreased risk of mild cognitive impairment: The Mayo Clinic population-based study of aging" AAN 2009.]

 

Eat Less … Remember More

In previous studies involving lab animal models, it has been found that diets low in calories and rich in unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) are beneficial for cognitive function in age. Veronica Witte, from the University of Munster (Germany), and colleagues, studied 50 healthy, normal- to overweight elderly men and women (average age 60 years old), dividing them into three groups: one that restricted daily caloric intake by up to 30%; the second that increased UFA consumption by up to 20%; and a third group that made no dietary changes and served as the control group. The team found the calorie-restricted group saw a sizeable 20% average increase in verbal memory scores after 3 months. In contrast, no significant changes in memory performance were reported in the two other groups. The researchers observed that the memory improvements in the calorie-restricted group correlated with decreases in insulin levels and markers of inflammation, including high sensitive C-reactive protein (CRP). Comments the team: “To our knowledge, the current results provide the first experimental evidence in humans that caloric restriction improves memory in the elderly.”

[Witte AV, Fobker M, Gellner R, Knecht S, Flöel A. “Caloric restriction improves memory in elderly humans.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Jan 27;106(4):1255-60. Epub 2009 Jan 26.]

 

Easy-Going Personality May Protect Against Age-Related Cognitive Decline

Previous studies have shown that people with relaxed personalities have a more stable mood and are better able to handle stressful situations without anxiety. In a study of 506 older Swedes, Hui-Xin Wang, of the Karolinska Institutet (Sweden), and colleagues found that those men and women who were socially outgoing but not easily distressed by circumstances were 49% less likely to develop dementia over time, as compared to those who were extroverted and neurotic. In addition, a calm personality was also associated with a 49% reduced dementia risk in those who were not socially active compared with those who were stay-at-homes but prone to distress. The team observes that: “These findings provide further evidence that certain personality traits may play a role in dementia development, and that personality-lifestyle interactions may be especially important for determining dementia risk.”

[Wang H X, et al "Personality and lifestyle in relation to dementia incidence" Neurology 2009; 72: 253259.]

 

Exercise Prevents Age-Related Brain Changes in Older Adults

Previously, research has shown that exercise reverses small vessel disease in the body, and increases brain volume and cognitive function in the elderly. Feraz Rahman, from Jefferson Medical College (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA), and colleagues conducted a study involving 12 men and women (ages 60 to 80), 6 of whom had exercised 3 hours a week or more over the past 10 years, with the others exercising fewer than 1 ½ hours a week over the same time period. Brain scans and computer modeling of the two groups determined that the active group had significantly more smaller vessels than the inactive group. Active subjects also had better cerebral blood flow, with the inactive group showing unpredictable brain blood flow. In addition, the team found that in active adults, as the blood vessel radius increased, blood flow increased; for inactive adults, as vessel radius increased, blood flow decreased. The team suggests that the latter observation may be due to the fact that vascular resistance increases and causes greater small vessel loss in the inactive group.

[Rahman FN, et al "Relationship of exercise to cerebral vasculature and blood flow in older adults" RSNA 2008; Abstract LL-NR2256-D03.]

 

In Older Women, Physical Fitness Equates to Better Cognitive Function

A number of studies have established that being sedentary is a risk factor for stroke and dementia. Marc Poulin, from the University of Calgary (Canada), and colleagues have completed a study that reveals some of the mechanisms by which aerobic fitness confers beneficial effects on cognition with aging. The team compared two groups of women (average age, 65 years), some of whom took part in regular aerobic activity and some of whom were inactive. The researchers found that the active group (as compared to the inactive group) had lower (10%) resting and exercising arterial blood pressure, higher (5%) vascular responses in the brain during submaximal exercise and when the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood were elevated, and higher (10%) cognitive function scores. Concludes the team: “This study proves for the first time that people who are fit have better blood flow to their brain. Our findings also show that better blood flow translates into improved cognition.”

[Brown AD, McMorris CA, Longman RS, Leigh R, Hill MD, Friedenreich CM, Poulin MJ. “Effects of cardiorespiratory fitness and cerebral blood flow on cognitive outcomes in older women.” Neurobiol Aging. 2008 Dec 26; [Epub ahead of print].]

 

Alzheimer’s Benefits from Physical Exercise

Typically, Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) progresses to the point where physical deterioration adversely impacts the ability to function independently, which in turn affects quality of life. Alejandro Lucia, from Universidad Europea De Madrid, and colleagues studied the a group of 16 men and women with Alzheimer’s disease, assigning half to undergo a 12-week training program (including resistance, flexibility, joint mobility and balance/coordination exercises), with the other half receiving normal care (no special exercise training). In the exercise group, the researchers found significant improvements in measures of upper and lower body strength ad flexibility, agility and balance, walking abilities, and endurance. The exercise group also was able to perform activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, and moving about, with greater independence.

[E. Santana-Sosa, M. I. Barriopedro, L. M. López-Mojares, M. Pérez, A. Lucia. “Exercise Training is Beneficial for Alzheimer's Patients,” Int J Sports Med 2008; 29: 845-850 DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1038432.]

 

Strength Training Good for Aging Brain

Previous studies have established that certain types of non-aerobic exercise, such as strength training, benefit cognitive function in older adults. A new study, completed by Teresa Liu-Ambrose, of University of British Columbia (Canada), and colleagues, studied 74 adults, ages 70 and over, each of whom had previously sustained a fall. The study subjects who underwent a supervised program of strength and balance training for 6 months improved their performance in a battery of cognitive function tasks by 13%. Additionally, at one year, the incidence of repeat falls was reduced by 24% (as compared to non-study counterpart subjects).

[Teresa Liu-Ambrose, Meghan G. Donaldson, Yasmin Ahamed, Peter Graf, Wendy L. Cook, Jacqueline Close, Stephen R. Lord, Karim M. Khan. “Otago Home-Based Strength and Balance Retraining Improves Executive Functioning in Older Fallers: A Randomized Controlled Trial .” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Volume 56 Issue 10, Pages 1821-1830. Published Online: Sep 15 2008, DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2008.01931.x.]

 

Cognitive Reserve” from Intellectual Stimulation Protects Against Alzheimer’s Disease

Valentina Garibotta, from San Raffaele University (Milan, Italy), and colleagues studied 242 older men and women, 72 of whom had mild cognitive impairment and 144 with no memory problems. Over a 14 month period, 21 of the people with mild impairment progressed to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. Among the people with the same level of memory problems, the researchers found that the presence of amyloid plaques and tau tangles (associated with Alzheimer’s Disease) was significantly more extensive in those who had been university educated and proceeded to hold mentally demanding jobs. The researches posit that the brains of those who received advanced educations and engaged in intellectually challenging occupations were better able to cope with Alzheimer’s Disease, perhaps by creating a “cognitive reserve” which buffered against its effects.

[“Job choice ‘affects Alzheimer’s,” BBC News Health, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7681451.stm, 21 Oct. 2008.]

 

Exercise Reverses Alzheimer’s Related Mental Decline

A number of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have established the beneficial impact of aerobic exercise and fitness on cognitive performance, brain volume, and brain function in older adults. A new meta-analysis by Art Kramer, from the University of Illinois (USA), and colleagues, reports that 6 months of moderate levels of aerobic activity are sufficient to produce significant improvements in cognitive function, with the most dramatic effects occurring on measures of executive control. The team observed that these improvements are accompanied by altered brain activity measures and increases in prefrontal and temporal grey matter volume that translate into a more efficient and effective neural system. Concludes the team: “We can safely argue that an active lifestyle with moderate amounts of aerobic activity will likely improve cognitive and brain function, and reverse the neural decay frequently observed in older adults. The effects … extend to older adults with dementia.”

[Kirk Erickson and Arthur F Kramer. “Exercise effects on cognitive and neural plasticity in older adults.” Br J Sports Med. Published Online First: 16 October 2008. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2008.052498.]

 

Internet Surfing Good for Brain Function

As the brain ages, a number of structural and functional changes occur, including atrophy, reductions in cell activity, and increases in deposits of amyloid plaques and tau tangles (associated with Alzheimer’s Disease) – all of which can negatively impact cognitive function. Gary Small, from the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California Los Angeles (USA), and colleagues studied the role of Internet use in maintaining brain performance. The team studied men and women ages 55 to 76; half of them were experienced in Internet surfing, while the other half had no experience. The participants performed Internet searches and book-reading tasks while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans, which tracked the intensity of cell responses in the brain by measuring the level of cerebral blood flow during cognitive tasks. While all study subjects showed significant brain activity during the book-reading task, only the Web-savvy group registered activity in the frontal, temporal and cingulate areas of the brain, which control decision-making and complex reasoning. Most striking, the team found that during Web searching, the study subjects with prior experience registered a twofold increase in brain activation (as compared to those with little Internet experience). The research team writes that: “A simple, everyday task like searching the Web appears to enhance brain circuitry in older adults, demonstrating that our brains are sensitive and can continue to learn as we grow older.”

[UCLA study finds that searching the Internet increases brain function,” University of California Los Angeles Press Release, 14 October 2008. To be published in American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.]

 

Active Social Life May Reduce Men’s Alzheimer’s Risk

Cognitive and social activity in midlife may significantly reduce men’s risk of dementia. Michelle Carlson, from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Baltimore Maryland, USA), and colleagues completed a study that followed 147 male twin pairs for 28 years. Among the twins, higher cognitive activity scores predicted a 26% reduction in the risk for developing dementia first. Further, the team found that dementia risk was most reduced as a result of participation in social activities at home, visiting with family and friends, and engaging in club activities and hobbies.

[Michelle C. Carlson, Michael J. Helms, David C. Steffens, James R. Burke, Guy G. Potter, Brenda L. Plassman. “Midlife activity predicts risk of dementia in older male twin pairs.” Alzheimer’s & Dementia, Volume 4, Issue 5, Pages 324-331 (September 2008).]

 

Physical Fitness Slows Brain Shrinkage in Alzheimer’s Disease

Jeffrey Burns, from the University of Kansas School of Medicine (USA), and colleagues, studied 57 people with early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and matched them to a group of comparable counterparts without dementias, measuring peak oxygen demand while on a treadmill, and monitoring brain size by MRI scans. The team found that people with early AD who are more physically active have less brain shrinkage (as compared to less-active counterparts).

[Burns JM, Cronk BB, Anderson HS, Donnelly JE, Thomas GP, Harsha A, Brooks WM, Swerdlow RH. “Cardiorespiratory fitness and brain atrophy in early Alzheimer disease.” Neurology. 2008 Jul 15;71(3):210-6.]

 

Social Ties Delay Aging-Related Memory Loss

Lisa Berkman, from Harvard School of Public Health (Massachusetts, USA), and colleagues, studied 16,638 men and women, ages 50 and over, to assess the impact of social integration on changes in memory during a six-year period. They found that the study participants with high social integration at the start of the study suffered slower rates of memory decline over time, as compared to the less socially integrated subjects. Memory among the least socially integrated declined at twice the rate as that of the most socially integrated.

[Karen A. Ertel, M. Maria Glymour, Lisa F. Berkman. “Effects of Social Integration on Preserving Memory Function in a Nationally Representative US Elderly Population.” American Journal of Public Health, 10.2105/AJPH.2007.113654.]

 

Aerobic Exercise Promotes Cognitive Performance

Maaike Angevaren, from the University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands), and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis and found that aerobic exercise may have a positive effect on cognitive performance in adults over the age of 55. The team found that cardiorespiratory fitness directly correlated to improvements in cognition. The team writes that: “Improvements in cognition as a result of improvements in cardiovascular fitness are explained by improvements in cerebral blood flow, leading to increased brain metabolism, which, in turn, stimulates the production of neurotransitters and formation of new synapses.”

[Angevaren M, Aufdemkampe G, Verhaar H, Aleman A, Vanhees L. “Physical activity and enhanced fitness to improve cognitive function in older people without known cognitive impairment.” Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Apr 16;(2):CD005381.;Print.]

 

 

Provided below is an offering of a few topics you may wish to review.

 

Risk Factors

Nutritional Therapies

 

 

How about a review of…

 

Alzheimer’s Difficulties