by Dr. G. A. Anderson

Created on: July 19, 2011

Latest research: There is new research with results that have just been presented in Paris on the subject of Alzheimer's Disease, and most notably, its prevention. On a global scale, Alzheimer's is a growing threat to humanity. Once thought of as a disease affecting only the elderly, we now know it can affect people at younger ages, thus disrupting the lives of many more of the world's population—and the number of cases is growing steadily. It is the greatest fear for many, and especially for those with family members who have developed Alzheimer's. 

However, there are factors other than heredity that indicate one may be at risk. In an article published in HealthDay News, July 2011, researchers led by Deborah Barnes, University of California San Francisco, suggest that "more than half of Alzheimer's cases globally could be prevented if modifiable risk factors" were removed or lifestyle changes made. Even slight reductions in the risk factors could possibly prevent "millions of cases" worldwide. Detailing studies even further, scientists indicate that the number of cases could be substantially reduced by even modest changes in lifestyle behaviors that lead to the possibility of developing the disease. The latest research is careful to point out that the risk factors themselves do not cause Alzheimer's, but they are common links among those who develop the disease.

Some of the common links, or risk factors, associated with Alzheimer's are smoking, obesity, depression, lack of or low levels of physical activity, mid-life hypertension, low education levels, and diabetes. One study indicated that even a 25 percent reduction in risk factors "could prevent up to 3 million cases around the world and up to half a million in the United States alone."

Another recent study describes "resiliency characteristics" of individuals who are able to keep their minds in a healthier state as they age. The goal is to strengthen these characteristics in order to prevent Alzheimer's. The newest research outcomes indicate that identifying risk factors and resiliency characteristics are both methods of "heading the disease off before it starts," according to associate professor of neurology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, Mark Mapstone (not involved with the study.)

The latest reports on Alzheimer's Disease and its prevention confirm that healthy circulation in the brain is key to a sharp mind during the aging process, and even before. While the risk factors

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