Alzheimer’s disease presents in a variety of day-to-day glitches: trouble with word retrieval, difficulties with problem solving, misplaced keys. It becomes harder to follow the thread of a conversation.
For a printable checklist of The 10 Signs of Alzheimer’s read here.
According to the U.S. Department of Health’s National Institute on Aging, four factors affect a person’s chance of getting Alzheimer’s: age, genetics, environment and lifestyle. (3)
Age
While Alzheimer’s disease is not considered a normal part of aging, one’s risk of Alzheimer’s does increase as age advances. The risk of contracting the disease doubles every five years after the age of 65. Nearly half of all people over age 85 have the disease. (5)
Genetics
You are somewhat more likely to develop Alzheimer’s if a first-degree relative, like a parent or sibling, has the disease. (5)
Early onset Alzheimer’s occurs in people ages 30 to 60, and is rare. Early onset accounts for only 5 percent of Alzheimer’s patients. Familial Alzheimer’s disease accounts for most early onset cases, and is caused by an inherited change in one of three genes.
For the remainder of those diagnosed with FAD, the disease appears to develop without any specific, known cause, similar to late-onset Alzheimer's.
Most people who have late-onset Alzheimer’s disease begin showing symptoms in their mid-60s.
Lifestyle
There is some evidence to suggest that the lifestyle habits that contribute to heart disease also play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s. (5) Those include:
- Lack of exercise
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Elevated homocysteine levels
- Poorly controlled diabetes
- A diet lacking in fruits and vegetables
In a study reported by the National Institutes of Health, those who consumed a Mediterranean diet had a 28 percent lower risk of developing Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). These same people had a 48 percent lower risk of moving from MCI to Alzheimer’s disease.
A Mediterranean diet includes fruits and vegetables, legumes, grains, fish, olive oil, minimal alcohol, and limited saturated fats, dairy products, meat and poultry. (3)
Docosahexaenoic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid found in salmon and certain other fish. DHA has been shown in studies to reduce beta-amyloid plaques, abnormal protein deposits in the brain that are the signature of Alzheimer’s. While still being studied, it is possible that DHA supplements could help potential Alzheimer’s patients before cognitive symptoms appear. (3)
Exercise is increasingly recognized as a way to maintain healthy cognition. Research has shown that exercise, particularly walking, can stimulate the human brain’s ability to maintain old network connections and make new ones that are vital to healthy cognition. (3)
In a trial, walkers showed:
- improved connectivity in the part of the brain engaged in daydreaming, envisioning the future, and recalling the past.
- improvement in executive function, as well as the ability to plan and organize tasks such as cooking a meal.
Environment
In addition to physical exercise and diet, social engagement which helps people manage the aging process may slow the cognitive decline of Alzheimer’s.
Staying involved with community through intellectually challenging work, volunteering, and maintaining relationships with family and friends, contributes to overall well-being, including cognitive health.
Sources:
(1) Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet. NIH.gov. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet#causes
2) Know the 10 Signs. alz.org. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
http://www.alz.org/national/documents/checklist_10signs.pdf
3) Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease: What Do We Know? NIH.gov. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/preventing-alzheimers-disease/risk-factors-alzheimers-disease
4) Alzheimer’s Disease: Unraveling the Mystery. NIH.gov. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/part-1-basics-healthy-brain/changing-brain-healthy-aging
and
https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/preventing-alzheimers-disease/search-alzheimers-prevention-strategies#diet
5) Alzheimer's disease. WebMd.com. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/basics/risk-factors/con-20023871
Reviewed November 10, 2015
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith