Diet

Calon, Frederic; Lim, Giselle P.; Yang, Fusheng; Morihara, Takashi; Teter, Bruce; and others. "Docosahexaenoic Acid Protects from Dendritic Pathology in an Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Model." Neuron Sept. 2, 2004; 43 (5): 633 – 645.

• Mice genetically engineered to develop hallmark Alzheimer brain abnormalities experience less damage to brain cells and do not develop problems remembering their way through mazes when they are fed a diet high in the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

"FDA Allows Qualified Heart Benefit Claims for Foods High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids." The Sept. 8, 2004, FDA press release is posted online.

• On the strength of evidence linking high intake of omega-3 fatty acids to reduced risk of coronary heart disease, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will allow qualified heart-health-related claims for foods high in omega-3s.

Kang, Jae Hee; Asherio, Alberto; and Grodstein, Francine. "Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Cognitive Decline in Women." Presented at the Alzheimer’s Association 9th International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders, July 17 –22, 2004, Philadelphia, Penn. Abstract published in Neurobiology of Aging, July 2004, Vol. 25, S2: p. S313.

• Harvard researchers reported that women who ate the most leafy green and cruciferous vegetables performed better on cognitive tests than women who ate less of these foods. Data are from the Nurses’ Health Study, a major epidemiological investigation of risk factors for chronic diseases in women enrolling 121,700 registered nurses who were 30 to 55 years old in 1976. This study involved more than 18 ,000 of those nurses who are involved in the part of the investigation exploring cognitive function.

Milgram, N.W.; Head, E.; Zicker, S.C.; Ikeda-Douglas, C.J.; Murphey, H.; Muggenburg, B.; Siwak, C.; Tapp, D.; Cotman, C.W. "Learning ability in aged beagle dogs is preserved by behavioral enrichment and dietary fortification: A two-year longitudinal study." Neurobiology of Aging 2005; 26: 77-90.

• Aging beagles have a much easier time learning new tricks if they eat a diet fortified with fruits and vegetables, get regular exercise and have opportunities to play with other dogs and interesting toys.

Morris, Martha C.; Evans, Denis A.; Bienias, Julia L; Bennett, David A.; and others. "Consumption of Fish and n-3 Fatty Acids and Risk of Incident Alzheimer’s Disease." Archives of Neurology July 2003; 60 (7): 940 – 946.

• Weekly or more frequent consumption of fish was associated with a 60 percent reduction in risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Higher dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids was also linked to reduced risk. Data are from the Chicago Health and Aging Project, a study to assess risk factors that raise or lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

Whitmer, Rachel A.; Gunderson, Erica P; Yaffe, Kristine; and others. “Obesity in Middle Age and Future Risk of Dementia: A 27-Year Longitudinal Population-Based Study.” BMJ May 2005; published online ahead of print.

• Data from more than 10,000 members of the Kaiser Permanente of Northern California health plan suggest that individuals who in middle age have high levels of body fat as measured by a skinfold test or who fall into the “obese” category of body mass index (BMI) have an increased risk of developing dementia later in life. Correlation between BMI and later dementia was stronger for women than for men. The relationship between these factors and dementia held up even when the researchers adjusted their analysis to make sure the effect was not due to another health condition linked to excess weight, such as heart disease or diabetes.

Antioxidants

Zandi, Peter P.; Anthony, James C.; Khachaturian, Ara S.; Stone, Stephanie S.; and others. "Reduced Risk of Alzheimer Disease in Users of Antioxidant Vitamin Supplements: The Cache County Study." Archives of Neurology Jan. 2004; 61: 82 – 88.

• Older adults who take vitamin supplements containing a combination of at least 400 international units of vitamin E and 500 milligrams of vitamin C may have a reduced risk of developing dementia. Data are from the Cache County Study, a long-running, federally funded investigation of the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease and factors that may influence its development in older residents of Cache County, Utah.

Excerise

Abbott, Robert D.; White, Lon R.; and others. "Walking and Dementia in Physically Capable Elderly Men." JAMA Sept. 22/29, 2004; 292 (12): 1447 – 1453.

• Older men who walked less than one-quarter mile each day had nearly twice the risk of dementia as men who walked more than two miles. Data are from more than 2,000 participants in the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study, a long-term, federally funded population study of how vascular and other factors might increase risk of dementia, contribute to degeneration of the brain’s nerve cells, or lead to co-existing illnesses that increase the risk of dementia.

Adlard, Paul A.; Perreau, Victoria M. Pop, Viorela; and Cotman, Carl W. “Voluntary Exercise Decreases Amyloid Load in a Transgenic Model of Alzheimer’s Disease.” The Journal of Neuroscience April 27, 2005; 25(17): 4217 - 4221.

• In “Alzheimer mice” genetically engineered to produce human beta-amyloid and develop plaques, at five months of age animals raised with free access to an exercise wheel had significantly better ability to remember their way through mazes and lower levels of plaques than those without the opportunity to exercise.

Heyn, Patricia; Abreu, Beatriz; and Ottenbacher, Kenneth. "The Effects of Exercise Training on Elderly Persons With Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: A Meta-Analysis." Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation October 2004; 85: 1694 – 1704.

• Older adults with dementia or cognitive impairment who engage in programs involving such physical activities as walking, strength and flexibility training, or mild aerobic exercise benefit in terms of physical fitness, cognitive function and behavior. The findings are from what the authors believe to be the first meta-analysis of the effects of exercise on physical and mental function in older adults with cognitive impairment. Funded in part by the National Institute on Aging (NIA).

Karp, Anita; Paillard-Borg, Stephanie; Wang, Hui-Xin; Silverstein, Merrill; Winblad, Bengt; and Fratiglioni, Laura. "Mental, Physical and Social Components in Common Leisure Activities in Old Age in Relation to Dementia: Findings from the Kungsholmen Project." Presented at the Alzheimer’s Association 9th International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders, Philadelphia, Penn., July 17 – 22, 2004. Abstract published in Neurobiology of Aging, July 2004, Vol. 25, S2: p. S313.

• Leisure activities involving mental, physical and social stimulation all seem to offer some protection against developing dementia, but activities that combine all three kinds of stimulation offer the greatest benefit. Data are from the Kungsholmen Project, a study based at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute exploring the medical, social and psychological aspects of aging.

Lazarov, Orly; Robinson, John; Tang, Ya-Ping; Hairston, Ilana S.; Korade-Mirnics, Zeljka; Lee, Virginia M.-Y.; Hersh, Louis B.; Sapolsky, Robert M.; Mirnics, Karoly; and Sisodia, Sangram S. “Environmental Enrichment Reduces Beta-Amyloid Levels and Amyloid Deposition in Transgenic Mice.” Cell 2005 March 11; 120 (5): pp. 701 - 713.

• Genetically engineered Alzheimer mice raised in an “enriched” environment had significantly lower levels of key brain abnormalities than their counterparts raised in standard laboratory cages. The deluxe setting provided opportunities to exercise, explore and interact with other mice. The investigators found the brains of the enriched mice had increased levels of an enzyme that breaks down beta-amyloid as well as increased activity of several genes involved in learning and memory, brain cell survival and growth of new blood vessels.

Podewils, Laura Jean; Guallar, Eliseo; Lyketsos, Constantine G.; et al. “Physical Activity, APOE Genotype, and Dementia Risk: Findings from the Cardiovascular Health Cognition Study.” American Journal of Epidemiology April 1, 2005; 161: 1 - 13.

• In a study of 3,375 men and women older than 65, those who engaged in four or more different types of leisure physical activity had about the half the risk of dementia of those who engaged in one or none. Although the variety of activities seemed to have a protective effect, the intensity in terms of calories expended didn’t seem to matter. The 15 types of activities considered in the study included walking, household chores, mowing, raking, gardening, hiking, golfing, swimming and dancing.

Rovio, Suvi; Kareholt, Ingemar; Helkala, Eeva-Liisa; Viitanen, Matti; Winblad, Bengt; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Soininen, Hilkka; Nissinen, Aulikki; and Kivipelto, Miia. “Leisure-time physical activity at midlife and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.” The Lancet Neurology; published online Oct. 4, 2005.

• A study of 1,449 older adults shows those who in middle age exercised vigorously enough to perspire and breathe hard for 20 to 30 minutes at least twice a week reduced their risk of later developing Alzheimer’s disease by about 60 percent.

Van Praag, Henriette; Shubert, Tiffany; Zhao, Chunmei; and Gage, Fred H. “Exercise Enhances Learning and Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Aged Mice.” Journal of Neuroscience Sept. 21, 2005; 25(38): 8680 - 8685.

• Mice given access to exercise wheels after they reached “old age” (19 months) performed better at remembering their way through mazes and generated more new brain cells than older mice who stayed sedentary. Running on exercise wheels also boosted new brain cell development in “young” (3 months) mice.

Weuve, Jennifer K.; Kang, Jae Hee; Manson, J.E.; Breteler, Monique M.; Ware, J.H.; and Grodstein, Francine. "Physical Activity, Including Walking, and Cognitive Function in Women." JAMA Sept. 22/29, 2004; 292 (12): 1454 – 1461.

• Women who engage in moderate exercise, including walking at an easy pace for 30 minutes five days a week, score better on cognitive tests than those who exercise less. Data are from the Nurses’ Health Study, a major epidemiological investigation of risk factors for chronic diseases in women enrolling 121,700 registered nurses who were 30 to 55 years old in 1976. This study involved more than 18 ,000 of those nurses who are involved in the part of the investigation exploring cognitive function.