Three factors will stall dementia and the aging process, according to new U.S. study
Dementia describes the decline of mental ability, while Alzheimer's Disease is the medical term for the brain disease that commonly causes dementia.
Researchers are now saying certain lifestyle changes can stave off mental decline. A new U.S. study sets out what Alzheimer's researchers are calling the strongest evidence yet regarding what is involved in slowing the aging process and improving cognition.
It comes down to three key factors: a diet heavy on leafy greens, berries and grains, regular moderate exercise and ongoing social interaction. Regular cardiovascular monitoring is also a factor.
Jessica Langbaum, senior director of research strategy at the Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Phoenix was not involved directly in the research but she presented the findings at an annual conference of experts in Toronto on Wednesday.
The Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) is the largest international meeting dedicated to advancing dementia science and clinical practice. This year's gathering brought together 8,000 scientists and clinicians from all over the world, with the goal of improving diagnosis, risk reduction and treatment.
The study pulled together diet, exercise and socialization in one substantial, structured study of 2,100 people in their 60s and 70s at risk of developing dementia, showing that bad habits 'can really slow down memory and thinking' in adults at risk for cognitive impairment and dementia, Langbaum told the PBS New Hour in an interview on Wednesday evening.
The subjects who participated in the study changed their habits, shifting from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one and improving their diet over a two-year period, resulting in cognitive function scores on par with people one or two years younger.
That might not sound like much, but Langbaum says the results are significant evidence that change can occur without medication. 'And so, it's showing that we can change the trajectory of aging,' she said.
There were two groups in the study. In one, lifestyle changes were structurally prescribed. In the other, the changes were self-directed. The results for the prescribed group were much better, but Langbaum says both groups showed improvement.
The biggest challenge that study participants faced was sustaining a new exercise regime. Langbaum recommends people find something that they enjoy doing.
'If (you're) frustrated by it, (you're) just going to give up. But do something that you enjoy. Better yet, do it with somebody else or others around you because socialization is key, and lastly, something that you can adhere to, if you can schedule it. It's something that you can stay committed to.'
Regarding nutrition she notes: 'We say what's good for the heart is good for the brain, so a nice balanced … nutritious diet with … those leafy greens, low in saturated fats, all of those things.'
The American Alzheimer's Association spent close to US$50 million on the study. The National Institutes of Health spent even more to ensure many of the participants underwent brain scans, blood tests and sleep studies aimed at provide additional information down the road.
Meanwhile, Langbaum expresses concern that structured intervention may not be sustainable in most communities. 'I think that's really the next stage of the research is, how do we make this scalable in communities so that people can implement these things into their daily lives?'
The American Alzheimer's Association is planning to spend another US$40 million on implementing the lessons of the study.
Langbaum says that will come with a change in the mindsets of doctors. They 'should be treating lifestyle interventions as they would a drug,' she told NPR. That would mean prescribing improved exercise and eating regimens and getting insurers to cover those prescriptions, she added.
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