Alzheimer's Disease Archive

Which is better to keep your brain fit?

Physical activity and mental stimulation are both considered vital for protecting your mental skills and warding off dementia. But is one activity more effective than the other? "It is difficult at this point to say, because most studies have not addressed this specific question," says Dr. Scott McGinnis, an instructor in neurology at Harvard Medical School.

In favor of physical activity

A recent study of people in their 70s published in Neurology found that those who exercised the most had the least brain shrinkage and fewer white matter brain lesions, which can be signs of dementia. People who engaged in intellectual activities didn't have the same benefits. But the results came from the analysis of questionnaires followed by brain scans a few years later, and Dr. McGinnis says that's not enough evidence to eliminate mental stimulation as a cognitive protector. It does, however, support exercise's role in protecting brain health, as does another study published recently in Stroke, which found older adults who exercised regularly reduced their risk of vascular-related dementia by 40%.

Which is a better predictor of memory loss?

Two tests are available to determine if you are at increased risk for getting Alzheimer's disease: a test for a gene known as APOE4 and a brain imaging test called a PET scan. A recent study in the journal Neurology finds the brain scan is a better predictor.

The PET scan can detect a protein called beta-amyloid that is found in the plaques observed in the brains of people who are later diagnosed to have Alzheimer's disease. The recent study performed both tests in 141 older people who had no cognitive impairment and then followed them for 18 months. Those with high levels of beta-amyloid in the brain were more likely to have a deterioration in mental function than those with the APOE4 gene.

Alzheimer's research shifts direction, creating potential new therapeutic avenues for people at risk.

Alzheimer's disease is a thief. It robs people of their memories, their ability to reason, and their clarity of thought. Anyone who has known someone with Alzheimer's knows how heartbreaking it can be to watch a spouse, friend, sibling, or parent slip into the fog of dementia. Because this disease has a genetic component, many people also fear that they themselves might slip into the same fog one day.

New approaches from Harvard offer hope.

Finding a way to prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD), or to reverse the damage it does, is one of medicine's great challenges as we enter 2013. Over the past 20 years, great progress has been made in understanding the changes in brain chemistry that lead to AD. Yet translating this knowledge into treatments has been difficult. Witness the collapse of two major AD drug trials this past autumn (solanezumab and bapineuzumab). But two Harvard doctors are forging ahead with entirely new approaches that offer hope for meaningful treatment in the near future.

Harvard researchers help test new drugs that could strike at the root of Alzheimer's disease. Here's where things stand.

In October 2012, scientists at the American Neurological Association (ANA) meeting in Boston presented the latest findings on a new generation of Alzheimer's medications. These drugs are designed to fight the build-up of abnormal amyloid protein in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. Experts hope that blocking amyloid will delay or possibly even stop the progression of the illness.

Physically active older adults are less likely to decline mentally, even if they already have brain changes that could put them at higher risk, according to a study in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

The study involved 638 people ages 65 to 84. As shown by MRI scans, the participants already had developed changes to the underlying circuitry of the brain. Such "white matter changes" can be a warning sign of future mental decline. The study participants were all still living independently.

Get help with discharge instructions and try to stay active.

Being readmitted to the hospital soon after being discharged is a common problem for all older Americans. But men are at a significantly higher risk of returning for emergency room care or a hospital stay within a month after discharge than are women, according to a recent study published in BMJ Open. "Men in certain populations may not have social support, which leads them to being at higher risk for readmission," says Dr. Jeffrey Schnipper, director of clinical research for the Brigham and Women's hospitalist services.

Persistent sadness might be more than just a mood problem—it could be a warning sign of memory impairment.

You can't sleep. You feel irritable and restless. Foods you once loved look unappetizing. These are signs that you may be depressed, but they might also warn that you're at greater risk for dementia.

Omega-3 fatty acids may help protect against Alzheimer's disease.