Alzheimer's conference yields hints on brain health

By Sheilah Downey


Developing simple lifestyle changes and learning about risk factors can help brain health and cut the risks of developing dementia, said researchers at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease held today in Vienna.

"The good news is that we now know there's a lot you an do to help keep your brain healthier as you age," said Dr. Maria Carrillo, Director of Medical and Scientific Relations at the Alzheimer's Association. "These steps might also reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or another dementia."

Carrillo said that simple lifestyle changes, such as being more physically active and eating a brain-healthy diet, could have an "enormous impact" on the nation's health. Foods such as omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are associated with brain-healthy foods.


Alzheimer's and alcohol

People who drank moderate amounts of alcohol, especially wine, had a nearly 40 percent lower risk of developing dementia, according to one of the studies presented today at the Vienna conference.

"Moderate" drinking was defined as having one or two drinks a day. Researchers noted however, that those with a history of even moderate brain health issues did not benefit from any alcohol consumption, according to a HealthDay news report.

"We found that for cognitively normal older adults, the lowest risk of dementia was for those who drank an average of one to two alcoholic drinks per day," said study author Dr. Kaycee M. Sink, of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. "However, for older adults who started the study with mild cognitive impairment, alcohol use was not protective."

Researchers concluded that after accounting for other illnesses, activity levels and cognitive health, moderate alcohol intake accounted for a 37 percent drop in dementia for those whose cognitive health was normal when the study began.


Veterans my face higher Alzheimer's risk

Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are nearly twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than their cohorts, according to another study presented today at the ICAD.

In a study of 181,093 veterans aged 55 or older, scientists found that veterans with PTSD developed new cases of dementia at a rate of 10.6 percent over the study's seven year follow up. Those veterans without PTSD had a rate of 6.6 percent, according to reports from the ICAD.

Results were similar when they excluded those with a history of traumatic brain injury, substance abuse or depression, said scientists.

"It is critical to follow patients with PTSD, and evaluate them early for dementia," said the study's co-author Dr. Kristine Yaffe, of the University of California San Francisco. "Further research is needed to fully understand what links these two important disorders."