I Am Trying to Educate People About Alzheimer's
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Lifetime active brain may ward off Alzheimer's, UC researchers find
Lisa M. Krieger
San Jose Mercury News, Calif.
02-01-12
Jan. 31--A lifetime of daily intellectual stimulation could help prevent the formation of plaques that are the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study led by researchers at UC Berkeley.
Although previous research has suggested that engaging in mentally demanding activities -- such as reading, writing and playing games -- may help stave off the disease, this new study identifies the biological target at play.
This discovery could guide future research into effective prevention strategies, according to a UC news release.
"Rather than simply providing resistance to Alzheimer's, brain-stimulating activities may affect a primary pathological process in the disease," said principal investigator Dr. William Jagust of UC-Berkeley's Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, in a prepared statement.
"This suggests that cognitive therapies could have significant disease-modifying treatment benefits if applied early enough, before symptoms appear," he said.
In the first study of its kind, researchers used brain scans to examine the amount of beta amyloid deposits in the brains of healthy seniors with no signs of dementia.
Beta amyloid -- the protein fibers folded into tangled plaques that accumulate in the brain -- is the top suspect in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease.
But the buildup of amyloid can also be influenced by genes and aging.
People who reported doing daily brainy activities from age 6 onward had
very low levels of amyloid plaque -- on par with of an average person in their early 20s. Those who never or rarely engaged in these activities had higher plaque levels.
"This is the first time cognitive activity level has been related to amyloid buildup in the brain," said study scientist Susan Landau of the Neuroscience Institute.
Amyloid is believed to start accumulating many years before symptoms appear -- so by the time patients have memory problems, there is little that can be done. Scientists hope to intervene sooner, so it's important to identify whether lifestyle factors might help.
The study was published in the Jan. 23 issue of the Archives of Neurology.
An estimated 5.4 million Americans live with Alzheimer's disease, but the numbers are growing as baby boomers age.
Between 2000 and 2008, deaths from Alzheimer's increased 66 percent, making it the sixth-leading killer in the country.
There is no cure, but a draft of the first-ever National Alzheimer's Plan, released in mid-January, reveals that the U.S. government is aiming for effective Alzheimer's treatments by 2025.
Contact Lisa M. Krieger at 408-920-5565.
___
(c)2012 the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)
Visit the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) at www.mercurynews.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Lifetime active brain may ward off Alzheimer's, UC researchers find
Lisa M. Krieger
San Jose Mercury News, Calif.
02-01-12
Jan. 31--A lifetime of daily intellectual stimulation could help prevent the formation of plaques that are the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study led by researchers at UC Berkeley.
Although previous research has suggested that engaging in mentally demanding activities -- such as reading, writing and playing games -- may help stave off the disease, this new study identifies the biological target at play.
This discovery could guide future research into effective prevention strategies, according to a UC news release.
"Rather than simply providing resistance to Alzheimer's, brain-stimulating activities may affect a primary pathological process in the disease," said principal investigator Dr. William Jagust of UC-Berkeley's Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, in a prepared statement.
"This suggests that cognitive therapies could have significant disease-modifying treatment benefits if applied early enough, before symptoms appear," he said.
In the first study of its kind, researchers used brain scans to examine the amount of beta amyloid deposits in the brains of healthy seniors with no signs of dementia.
Beta amyloid -- the protein fibers folded into tangled plaques that accumulate in the brain -- is the top suspect in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease.
But the buildup of amyloid can also be influenced by genes and aging.
People who reported doing daily brainy activities from age 6 onward had
very low levels of amyloid plaque -- on par with of an average person in their early 20s. Those who never or rarely engaged in these activities had higher plaque levels.
"This is the first time cognitive activity level has been related to amyloid buildup in the brain," said study scientist Susan Landau of the Neuroscience Institute.
Amyloid is believed to start accumulating many years before symptoms appear -- so by the time patients have memory problems, there is little that can be done. Scientists hope to intervene sooner, so it's important to identify whether lifestyle factors might help.
The study was published in the Jan. 23 issue of the Archives of Neurology.
An estimated 5.4 million Americans live with Alzheimer's disease, but the numbers are growing as baby boomers age.
Between 2000 and 2008, deaths from Alzheimer's increased 66 percent, making it the sixth-leading killer in the country.
There is no cure, but a draft of the first-ever National Alzheimer's Plan, released in mid-January, reveals that the U.S. government is aiming for effective Alzheimer's treatments by 2025.
Contact Lisa M. Krieger at 408-920-5565.
___
(c)2012 the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)
Visit the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) at www.mercurynews.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
