2 New Folate Findings

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The first study was announced by Columbia University investigators in New York. The study is published in the January issue of the Archives of Neurology and was led by Dr. José A. Luchsinger, MD, from The Taub Institute for Research of Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University in New York City.

 

The team studied 965 Manhattan residents without dementia, aged 65 and older, who receive Medicare. Participants underwent physical and psychological examinations, including neuropsychological testing, from 1992 to 1994. During that period, 192 subjects developed Alzheimer's disease.

 

As part of the study, researchers tracked the amount of folate consumed by the participants as part of their diet and through supplements. The conclusion: higher folate intake was associated with lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

 

"When we looked at supplements and diet separately, we did not find a statistically significant effect," said Dr. Luchsinger. "But when we looked at them in combination, it appeared that it is a person's total intake [of folate] that is associated with this protective effect."

 

The second study comes from the other side of the world in Korea. There, folate deficiency was associated with a tripling in the risk of developing dementia among elderly people, as suggested by research published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

 

The researchers tracked the development of dementia in 518 people over two years from 2001 to 2003. All participants were over the age of 65 and lived in one rural and one urban area in the south of the Republic of Korea. The research was conducted by Chonnam National University Medical School, in Kwangju.

 

Validated tests were carried out at the start and end of the two year period to find out if they had dementia.

 

Similarly, blood tests were used to assess levels of folate, vitamin B12, and the protein homocysteine, and how these changed over time. (High levels of homocysteine have been associated with cardiovascular disease.) At the start of the two year period, 3.5% were folate deficient.

 

By the end of the study, 45 people had developed dementia. Of these, 34 had Alzheimer's disease, seven had vascular dementia, and four had "other" types of dementia. Dementia was more likely in those who were older, relatively poorly educated, inactive, and had deposits of the protein ApoE.

 

The onset of dementia was significantly more likely in those who initially had low folate levels, and whose folate levels then fell further over the two years. People who were folate deficient to begin with, were almost 3.5 times more likely to develop dementia.

 

NOT 100% CLEAR

 

What remains unclear is whether a low level of folate increases the risk of Alzheimer's, or low folate levels are caused by already being in a "pre-stage" of Alzheimer's.

The Korean authors suggest that changes in micronutrients could be linked with the other typical signs that precede dementia, including weight loss and low blood pressure. While weight loss is unlikely to alter micronutrient levels in the blood, it may indicate dietary changes effecting the quality of food intake.

 

The American author said, "At this point, this is just an observational study. We need randomized controlled trials before we can make any inferences of cause and effect."

 

In summary, a spokesman for the Alzheimer's Society said: 'It is too early to advise people to start popping folate supplements. Until we see results from a rigorous clinical trial it is impossible to say whether low folate levels are a cause or effect of dementia. In the meantime we would recommend sticking to a healthy balanced diet rich in essential B vitamins and antioxidants.'

 

With that said, one thing is clear: Eat right by including foods rich in folate (also known as vitamin B9), such as dark-green leafy vegetables and folate-enriched breads and cereals. It's a key ingredient to good brain health.

Discipline And Alzheimer's

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People who have a tendency to be self-disciplined, careful, and purposeful appear less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

This is what we already know about Alzheimer's disease:

 

•    It affects approximately 4.5 million Americans, robbing them of their memory and leading to      profound disability and eventually death.

•    There is currently no known cure, and the available drugs only alleviate symptoms.

 

·       The progressive disease is diagnosed mainly by its symptoms, making early diagnosis and  tracking very difficult. A definitive diagnosis of the disease can only be made during autopsy.

To investigate how a person's conscientiousness influences their mental health, researchers studied nearly 1000 healthy older adults over a 12-year period. They underwent medical exams and mental testing, and were scored on their level of self-discipline and purposefulness.

They found that those who had conscientiousness scores in the 90th percentile were 89% less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease when compared to those in the bottom 10th or lower. Conscientiousness was also associated with a slower rate of mental decline and a lower risk of mild mental impairment, a condition that may lead to Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers suggest that conscientious people may be more likely to be successful academically and in their profession, both of which have been associated with a reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease. Also, being conscientious may be associated with resilience and coping actively with difficulties, which may reduce mental stress and negative behaviour, factors associated with the risk of dementia in old age.

According to the latest research, maintaining an active mind and body can help to prevent Alzheimer's disease. This means staying in shape physically, eating a healthy well-balanced diet, and engaging in mentally stimulating activities like reading, socializing, and doing crossword puzzles.

Fruits Lower Risk ...

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A study published in the American Journal of Medicine has found that drinking fruit and vegetable juices more than three times a week can dramatically cut the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease.

To perform their study, researchers followed almost 2,000 dementia-free Japanese Americans living in the Seattle area for 10 years. Alzheimer's disease which robs sufferers of their memory is relatively uncommon in Japan, but is rising in Japanese-Americans, suggesting a lifestyle or environmental cause. Study participants completed a food frequency questionnaire at the start of the study and underwent a clinical examination every 2 years for a 10-year period to look for signs of Alzheimer's disease. The researchers found the risk of Alzheimer's was 76 per cent lower for those who drank juices more than three times a week, as compared to those who drank juices less often than once a week.

It is believed that certain "bad" proteins can cause the damage seen in Alzheimer's disease. Polyphenols, chemicals found in many foods, have strong antioxidant properties and might "mop up" free radicals that can damage brain cells. Skins of fruits and vegetables are known to be high in phenols, especially those of apples, grapes, citrus fruits and berries.

These findings are new and suggest that fruit and vegetable juices may play an important role in delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Raising Good Cholesterol Lowers Alzheimer's Risk

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Low levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) — the "good" cholesterol — in middle age may increase the risk of memory loss and lead to dementia later in life, researchers reported in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association.

 

Observing 3,673 participants (26.8 percent women) from the Whitehall II study, researchers found that falling levels of HDL cholesterol were predictors of declining memory by age 60. Whitehall II, which began in 1985, is long-term health examination of more than 10,000 British civil servants working in London.

 

"Memory problems are key in the diagnosis of dementia," said Archana Singh-Manoux, Ph.D., lead author of the study and Senior Research Fellow with the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM, France) and the University College London in England. "We found that a low level of HDL may be a risk factor for memory loss in late midlife. This suggests that low HDL cholesterol might also be a risk factor for dementia."

 

Researchers defined low HDL as less than 40 mg/dL and high HDL as 60 mg/dL or higher. The team compared blood-fat and memory data collected in phases 5 (1995?) and 7 (2002?) of Whitehall II, when the average ages of the study members were 55 and 61 years, respectively.

 

Researchers measured lipid concentrations in blood samples collected after an eight-hour fast, or at least four hours after a light, fat-free breakfast. They assessed short-term verbal memory using 20 one- or two-syllable words read aloud at two-second intervals. Study participants then had two minutes to write down as many of the words as they could remember.

 

Their main findings are:

 

• At age 55, participants with low HDL cholesterol showed a 27 percent increased risk of memory loss when compared to those with high HDL.

• At age 60, participants with low HDL had a 53 percent increased risk of memory loss compared to the high HDL group.  

• During the five years between phases 5 and 7, study members with decreasing HDL had a 61 percent increased risk of decline in their ability to remember words versus those with high HDL.

• Men and women did not differ significantly in the link between lipids and memory loss, so researchers combined data from both sexes for analysis.

• Total cholesterol and triglycerides did not show a link with memory decline.

• Using statin drugs to raise HDL and/or lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad" cholesterol) showed no association with memory loss.

HDL cholesterol, which at high levels decreases the risk of heart attacks, serves several vital biological functions. It helps clear excess cholesterol from the blood; assists nerve-cell synapses to mature; and helps control the formation of beta-amyloid, the major component of the protein plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. Dementia most often occurs in people 65 years or older, the fastest growing age group in the industrialized world.

 

The precise mechanism linking HDL cholesterol to dementia remains unclear. "But it is possible that HDL cholesterol prevents formation of beta-amyloid," Singh-Manoux said. "HDL could also affect memory through its influence on atherosclerotic disease and stroke, or vascular injury. Finally, HDL cholesterol may influence memory through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

 

"Many previous investigations into the association between lipids and memory in the elderly have focused on total or LDL cholesterol because of their status as proven risk factors for cardiovascular disease," Singh-Manoux said. "Our results show HDL cholesterol to be important for memory. Thus, physicians and patients should be encouraged to monitor levels of HDL cholesterol."

 

In an accompanying editorial, Anatol Kontush, Ph.D. and M. John Chapman, Ph.D., D.Sc., at INSERM and University Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris, France, note, "It is tempting to speculate that increasing levels of HDL-C, or "good cholesterol" might protect our memories. However, unfortunate results in large interventional trials with dietary antioxidants suggest that we should remain cautious when proposing therapeutic intervention on the basis of observational studies which do not allow causation to be inferred. Nonetheless, these studies demand that we focus more effort on research at the interface between HDL and brain function."

 

To raise HDL and lower LDL cholesterol, the American Heart Association recommends exercising regularly; eliminating trans fats from the diet; reducing the intake of all fats, especially saturated fats; and consuming monounsaturated fats, such as olive, canola and peanut oils. Statins can also improve HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, when they pose a heart risk.

Exercise - Take 10 To Preserve Mind & Body

A mounting body of research shows that regular, short stints of moderate exercise can improve brain function and lower risk for many chronic diseases, said a University of Missouri Extension Nutrition and Health Education Specialist.

"Incorporating 10-minute bouts of exercise may be a way to begin making physical activity part of your lifestyle, thus preserving mind and body," said Lynda Johnson.

Researchers conducting the Conselice Study of Brain Aging at University Hospital in Bologna, Italy, assessed cognitive function of 749 adults and found regular, moderate exercise substantially lowered risk for vascular dementia. They determined that routine activities such as climbing stairs, walking and gardening provided brain benefits similar to more rigorous physical activities. The researchers suggest this is because exercise enhances blood flow to the brain, which may have a protective effect by reducing levels of cortisol and other stress hormones generally considered toxic to the brain.

An article in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association cited studies conducted at Harvard University and Brigham Women's Hospital indicating that moderate, regular exercise improved heart health even without weight loss.

In 2007 the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine updated physical activity recommendations for adults of all ages to improve health and maintain functional fitness, independence and quality of life. The basic guidelines suggest moderate-intensity aerobic activities for 30 minutes a day, five days per week and strength training twice a week, along with stretching and balance exercises.

If you haven't been exercising, these recommendations may seem overwhelming. Johnson has tips for getting into the habit of exercising 10 minutes at a time:

 

·                Walking:

  

First thing in the morning or when arriving home from work, take a brisk five-minute walk down the street and back home again. Keep a pair of comfortable shoes in your car or by your desk so you can take a 10-minute walk during your lunch break or at the mall. Walk the stairs at work for 10 minutes.

 

·                Stretching:

 

There is no better way to relax, reduce stress and rejuvenate than by stretching. Yoga incorporates a great deal of stretching, which can be done at your desk or at home. The Web site My Daily Yoga offers free, easy yoga demonstrations (http://will-arris.com/yogaindex.html).

 

·                Strength building:

 

Keep a set of 3-, 5- or 10-pound hand weights and ankle weights near the television so you can strength train while watching your favourite program. Resistance bands also make strength-training exercises convenient when travelling or at the office.

(Source:  By Lynda Johnson, Health News Digest)

Tofu 'May Raise Risk Of Dementia'

Tofu 'may raise risk of dementia'

 

Eating high levels of some soy products - including tofu - may raise the risk of memory loss, research suggests.

 

The study focused on 719 elderly Indonesians living in urban and rural regions of Java.

 

The researchers found high tofu consumption - at least once a day - was associated with worse memory, particularly among the over-68s.

 

The Loughborough University-led study features in the journal Dementias and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders.

 

Soy products are a major alternative protein source to meat for many people in the developing world.

But soy consumption is also on the increase in the west, where it is often promoted as a "super-food".

Soy products are rich in micronutrients called phytoestrogens, which mimic the impact of the female sex hormone oestrogen.

 

There is some evidence that they may protect the brains of younger and middle-aged people from damage - but their effect on the ageing brain is less clear.

 

The latest study suggests phytoestrogens - in high quantity - may actually heighten the risk of dementia.

 

Lead researcher Professor Eef Hogervorst said previous research had linked oestrogen therapy to a doubling of dementia risk in the over-65s.

 

She said oestrogens - and probably phytoestrogens - tended to promote growth among cells, not necessarily a good thing in the ageing brain.

 

Alternatively, high doses of oestrogens might promote the damage caused to cells by particles known as free radicals.

 

A third theory is that damage is caused not by the tofu, but by formaldehyde, which is sometimes used in Indonesia as a preservative.

 

The researchers admit that more research is required to ascertain whether the same effects are found in other ethnic groups.

 

However, previous research has also linked high tofu consumption to an increased risk of dementia in older Japanese American men.

 

Fermented product

 

Professor David Smith, of the University of Oxford, said tofu was a complex food with many ingredients which might have an impact.

 

However, he said: "There seems to be something happening in the brain as we age which makes it react to oestrogens in the opposite way to what we would expect."

 

The latest study also found that eating tempe, a fermented soy product made from the whole soy bean, was associated with better memory.

 

Professor Hogervorst said the beneficial effect of tempe might be related to the fact that it contains high levels of the vitamin folate, which is known to reduce dementia risk.

 

"It may be that that the interaction between high levels of both folate and phytoestrogens protects against cognitive impairment."

 

She also stressed that there was no suggestion that eating tofu in moderation posed a problem.

Rebecca Wood, of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, which funded the study, said more research was needed to pin down the potential risks and benefits of so-called super-foods.

 

However, she said: "This kind of research into the causes of Alzheimer's could lead scientists to new ways of preventing this devastating disease.

 

"As over half a million people have Alzheimer's in the UK today, there is a desperate need to find a new prevention or cure."

 

(Source:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/talking_point/7490202.stm.  Published 4 July 2008)

Women Hit Hard By Dementia

Almost half of all women in their 90s are suffering from dementia, Californian research suggests.

 

The analysis of more than 900 people aged 90 or over, published in the journal Neurology, found it was far less likely in men of the same age.

 

The reasons are not clear - although older women are more prone to stroke and heart disease, both risk factors for dementia.

 

There are fears dementia could place a great strain on health services.

 

There have been few studies looking specifically at dementia in very old people, even though increases in life-expectancy mean that this is a fast-growing group.

 

Other studies have shown that dementia prevalence increases for both men and women between the ages of 65 and 85.

 

However, the Californian research found that the likelihood of having dementia doubled every five years in women after reaching 90, but not in men.

 

A total of 45% of the women had dementia, compared with 28% of men. It also suggested that women who had received higher education were much less likely to develop dementia than those with a lower level of education.

 

Care bill

 

Dr Maria Corrada, who led the study, said: "As more and more people reach age 90, our findings provide further evidence that more needs to be done to provide adequate resources to care for the increasing number of very old people with memory problems."

 

A recent report by the King's Fund suggested that the burden of dementia in the UK was likely to rise sharply over the next two decades as the population aged.

 

The total bill for care, it predicted, would more than double to over £35 billion a year, as the number of people with the illness rises past 900,000.

 

The Alzheimer's Society said, with this in mind, there was now an urgent need to find out more about how gender affected the likelihood of dementia.

 

A spokesman said: "Previous research has suggested that, as they get older, women are more prone to stroke and heart disease.

 

"Both of these are risk factors for dementia so this may go some way in explaining the difference."

 

(Source:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7485455.stm - Published 2July 2008)

'Good' Cholesterol Dementia Risk

Too little of one type of cholesterol has been linked by research to memory loss and Alzheimer's disease.

 

UK and French scientists studied 3,673 civil servants, revealing low levels of "good" cholesterol were associated with poor memory.

 

Doctors might be able to uncover high-risk patients using blood tests, they said in a US heart journal.

But other experts said the study did not yet support larger diet trials aiming to boost levels.

 

The relationship between levels of HDL, or "good", and LDL, or "bad" types of cholesterol is thought to be important in the development of other serious conditions such as heart disease and stroke.

 

Higher levels of HDL, in particular, are believed to protect against damage to blood supply caused by the narrowing of the arteries.

 

There is also evidence that "good" cholesterol can influence the laying down of the beta-amyloid "plaques" that are a distinctive feature in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

 

Regular exercise and eating less saturated fat, while eating more "healthy" fats such as olive oils, can boost levels.

 

The researchers, from University College London and the INSERM institute in France, used data from the Whitehall II trial - a collection of thousands of civil servants, to see what influence it might have over memory within a five-year period.

 

They took blood samples at the start of the study, and gauged word recall with a simple test. That was repeated again at the end of the study.

 

The researchers found that people with low levels of HDL were 53% more likely to suffer memory loss compared with the people with the highest levels of HDL.

 

People with impaired memory have a much greater risk of going on to develop dementia later in life.

 

Early sign

 

Dr Archarna Singh-Manoux, who led the study, said: "Memory problems are key in the diagnosis of dementia.

 

"This suggests that low HDL cholesterol might also be a risk factor for dementia."

 

She said that doctors should be encouraged to monitor HDL levels in order to predict dementia risk.

However, an editorial in the same journal, Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, by Dr Anatol Kontush and Dr John Chapman, from INSERM and the Universite Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris, said that the study did not prove that low HDL could cause memory loss, or high HDL protect against it.

 

"Unfortunate results in large interventional trials with dietary antioxidants suggest that we should remain cautious when proposing therapeutic intervention," they wrote.

 

Dr Susanne Sorenson, from the Alzheimer's Society, said HDL cholesterol was believed to transport harmful cholesterol from the arteries back to the liver to be degraded.

 

"This study shows that if there is not enough HDL to transport cholesterol and other lipids around the body, it can not only increase your risk of heart disease but also affect your memory and may increase your risk of getting Alzheimer's disease.

 

"We know that controlling cholesterol in mid-life is important if you are to reduce your risk of developing vascular dementia later and this may also be important for the development of Alzheimer's disease."

 

(Source:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7481818.stm)

Staying Social May Keep Dementia At Bay

Study in older women found friends, family helped minds stay sharp

(Source:  By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay Reporter, HealthDay News June 27, 2008)

The key to a healthy mind in old age may lie in an active social life, a new study suggests.

"If you are socially engaged, you are at lower risk of dementia," said Dr. Valerie C. Crooks, a researcher at the Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

During her study, which followed more than 2,200 women ages 78 and older for four years, those with large social networks reduced their risk of getting dementia by 26 percent, she said.

Previous studies about the association between social engagement with family and friends and cognitive functioning in old age have yielded mixed results, Crooks noted. For example, "there were studies that said being married is helpful, and studies that said being married is not so helpful," she said.

In recent studies, social contact has been generally found to be protective of cognitive functioning, however, she said.

For this new study, published in the July issue of the American Journal of Public Health, Crooks and her colleagues conducted telephone interviews with the women, all of who were members of the Kaiser Permanente HMO. The women were free of dementia when the study started in 2001.

The team tested each woman's cognitive status by phone and reviewed her medical records to help assess it, as well. They also asked about social interactions with a spouse and/or other family and friends, including how many people they interacted with and how often.

Crooks' team also asked the women how many people they felt they could rely on if they needed help and whether they had a person or persons they could talk to about personal issues.

At the end of the follow-up, 268 of the women had been diagnosed with dementia.

Those with larger social networks also showed a reduced risk for dementia, whose most common form is Alzheimer's disease.

"In this study, we found marriage didn't make a difference in terms of dementia risk," she said. In other words, it was the social network that was protective, regardless of whether the woman was married or not.

"Those with daily contact or more had a lower risk of dementia," she said. The contact didn't have to be face-to-face -- e-mail and telephone interaction counted, Crooks added.

It's impossible to say how many friends and family makes up a big enough social circle to be protective, the researcher said. "Two or fewer is probably not a sufficient amount. You could have three really close friends [or family] and be fine," Crooks speculated.

"We can't tell you what the magic number is," she said.

And she emphasized that her team found only an association between social networks and reduced risk of dementia, which doesn't point to a cause-and-effect relationship, necessarily.

"There could be a person with one person [in his or her social network] who is doing perfectly fine," she said.

While more study is needed to zero in on exactly which aspects of social support are linked with a decrease in dementia risk, Crooks said the findings make perfect sense, neurologically speaking. "The more interaction, the more you challenge your brain."

Dr. William Thies, vice president of medical and scientific relations at the Alzheimer's Association, said the finding "fits with a large body of evidence that being isolated is bad for you."

But he added, the finding is merely an association, not cause and effect.

"You don't know whether the bigger network prevents Alzheimer's or [whether] people who don't get Alzheimer's maintain bigger networks," he said.