---
Study Finds Couch Potatoes in Their 40s Risk Alzheimer's Later ; Diabetes, High Cholesterol, Smoking May Damage Brain
Study Finds Couch Potatoes in Their 40s Risk Alzheimer's Later ; Diabetes, High Cholesterol, Smoking May Damage Brain -- Posted by Gumbo on 02-02-05 06:33
Study Finds Couch Potatoes in Their 40s Risk Alzheimer's Later ; Diabetes,
High Cholesterol, Smoking May Damage Brain
Crossword puzzles and memory games aren't enough to ward off Alzheimer's
disease when some middle-aged couch potatoes get older.
A new study finds that people in their early 40s who smoke or have diabetes
and high cholesterol or have hypertension are at greater risk to develop
Alzheimer's in their late 60s.
But those risk factors can be mitigated through treatment and exercise, the
study suggests.
Alzheimer's can spring from heart and artery trouble, not just from
neurological damage, said neurologist Rachel Whitmer, who led the study of
8,500 Kaiser Permanente patients.
"Blood pressure, hypertension, cholesterol - they have an effect on the
brain and, apparently, damage it," she said.
The study, in the current issue of Neurology magazine, is the first to show
that risk factors can damage the brain 10 or 20 years before the person
shows symptoms of dementia or Alz-heimer's disease.
"Lifelong exposures to risk factors seem to change your brain and make you
more susceptible," Whitmer said.
Diabetes is the greatest risk factor. In the study, one out of seven people
who had diabetes in their 40s had developed dementia or Alzheimer's by the
time they were in their late 60s or early 70s. That represents an almost 50
percent greater risk.
Those with high cholesterol were 42 percent more likely to get dementia;
those who smoked 26 percent more likely and those with hypertension 24
percent more likely.
When people had at least three of those risk factors the likelihood more
than doubled.
There are specific treatments for high cholesterol, diabetes and
hypertension. But the risk of all can be reduced through exercise and
keeping weight down.
"It gives us another good reason to be aggressive about treating these four
risk factors," said Dr. Glenn Gade, a gerontologist with Kaiser Permanente
in Denver.
"It's another reason why we should keep healthy, exercise and eat well," he
added.
"The chance to live a longer, healthier life with good cognitive memory
would motivate most people."
INFOBOX
Alzheimer's risk factors
* Diabetes
* High cholesterol
* Smoking
* Hypertension
Source: Alzheimer'S Association And Kaiser Permanente
Related
Discussion:
Health Book: The Back and Beyond: Paul Sherwood (1 posts)
by sheikratalanrol@hotmail.com - Last post on: 07-24-04 12:52
Hi,
Saw this book on back care for sale, is it any good?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6914886522
Thanks,
Arman
... (Read More)
Vioxx Updates (1 posts)
by David Krug - Last post on: 10-09-04 15:37
http://www.nanologs.com/vioxx/
... (Read More)
Mediterranean diet cuts death rate, researchers find - interesting article (3 posts)
by mercury - Last post on: 09-23-04 05:25
http://www.world-science.net/newspg2/040921_meditfrm.htm
... (Read More)
Health Discussion Board (1 posts)
by Being Well - Last post on: 04-27-05 10:19
Being Well Alternative Health Discussion Board:
http://www2.phpbb-host.com/phpbb/?mforum=beingwelldirect
Please note: The Discussion Board has not gone live yet - hence the small
number of members! We do hope to get lots of new members soon!
The board is free to join but does require your... (Read More)
Top
Discussions From Our Archives
Scientific Health Forum
Re: Aspartame (Equal) and Diabetes...
Re: Aspartame (Equal) and Diabetes...
Other
Discussion Categories
Diabetes Symptoms
Health Care Policy
Health Care Providers HMO
Arthritis Symptoms
| 
