The research was reported at the recently concluded 2014 Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) in Copenhagen. It identified several factors such as sleep problems and hypertension which could increase the risk of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementias.
The fight against Alzheimer's disease has become a growing concern among the ageing populations of the U.S. and other developing nations. The disease is said to be the leading cause of dementia and has already affected over five million Americans. It is even predicted that the number could increase by as much as 16 million people by the year 2050.
The U.S. government allots $500 million every year as funds to combat the disease. The figure should at least be increased to $2 billion a year in order for the U.S. to reach its goal of providing services leading to the disease' better treatment and achieving ways to successfully prevent it by 2025.
"These studies from AAIC 2014 underscore the need to fund larger, longer-term studies in different and diverse populations to enable us to develop helpful 'prescriptions' for lifestyle change - for example, which foods to eat and avoid, how much physical activity and what types - and to learn more specifically about how Alzheimer's and dementia risk factors change as we age," said Heather Snyder, PhD, director of Medical and Scientific Operations of Alzheimer's Association.
One of the signs showing that a person has risks of developing Alzheimer's is when he is suffering from sleep disorders such as insomnia or apnea. Another sign deals with having a mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that results to a slight but obvious and measurable decline in one's cognitive abilities which include memory and ability to think.
Interestingly, people with the hypertensive range in their blood pressure face a lower risk to develop dementia as compared to those with the normal blood pressure range. However, the statement does not confirm if there is a relation between the ranges of hypertension to the medications taken by an individual.
At least three out of the ten cases of Alzheimer's disease can be easily prevented as long as people are willing to turn away from unhealthy lifestyle, increase activity through exercising, and avoid smoking. Other suggestions are maintaining a normal weight and keeping blood pressure at an acceptable level.
In a separate study, Alzheimer's disease and other dementia type of diseases can show a slowdown in a person's mental decline after he has undergone cataract surgery. "These preliminary results indicate that improved vision can have a variety of benefits for people with dementia and their loved ones, both visual and non-visual," said Dr. Alan Lerner of Ohio's Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Case Medical Center.
