Better Understanding of Brain Gives Clues on Preventing or Reducing Risk of Alzheimer's

An improved understanding of how to maintain normal brain health is providing clues about what may prevent or reduce the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Marilyn Albert, a leading authority on risk factors and Alzheimer's disease, told reporters January 15 at an American Medical Association media briefing in New York that reducing oxidative and general stress and engaging in physical and mental activity may improve general brain health.

But whether they have an impact on the formation of plaques and tangles, the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, is still unknown, cautioned Albert, director of cognitive neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

"Vitamin E, an anti-oxidant, has already been tested and shown to somewhat reduce Alzheimer's disease symptoms," said Albert. "Increased mental activity may achieve a protective effect by increasing the connections between nerve cells. We know that vitamin E is relatively safe and physicians can feel comfortable recommending it. And, of course, there just doesn't seem to be any downside to increased mental and physical activity."

Noting the enormous interest in finding ways to keep people's brains healthy as they age, Albert said identifying people truly at risk for Alzheimer's disease is a necessity since "we are only willing to give people medications that may have serious side effects for a very good reason."

Albert said some researchers are looking at people with mild cognitive impairment, including those who have early changes in the brain caused by the plaques and tangles, as possibly having Alzheimer's disease.

Other investigators, Albert added, are using PET scans and MRI to look for changes in the brain such as in blood flow or brain shrinkage. There are also researchers who are attempting to image the plaques themselves.

"The tremendous effort going into research on Alzheimer's disease reflects the high interest of finding a way to prevent Alzheimer's," said Albert. "We will be seeing that pay off in a lot of information that will help us find effective treatment."

Other sources: American Medical Association