14 DAY TRIAL // A researching team from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden announced that they tracked down some lifestyle key factors that could early predict the incidence of Alzheimer's disease and related mental disorders that occur later in life. Namely, the scientists claim they can trace the risk of dementia before its onset, accounting on several lifestyle predictors.
The main lifestyle factors that could bring about dementia in old age are related to: poor education, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, lack of exercise, obesity. These are similar to the predictors for strokes and heart attacks.
Miia Kivipelto, lead researcher of the study stated: "The key point for all these factors is lifestyle changes. The risk factors are quite the same for heart disease. It is positive news because it opens up totally new avenues for intervention and prevention of dementia."
The researchers investigated about 1,400 people who presented dementia signs in mid 50's and also analyzed their medical data 20 years later. Results showed that 4% of the people that were diagnosed in the upcoming 20 years with dementia presented high risks of 6 from the predictors mentioned above.
Taking into account the fact that there is no cure for dementia, people should guard themselves from the damaging and degenerative mental illness. The fact that some of the main lifestyle predictors have been tracked down could ease a lot of Alzheimer's symptoms and can also cut high risks of the disease. It all depends on people and what they do in order to have a healthy lifestyle and prevent conditions that affect cognitive function.
"It is a practical tool to show how much these risk factors linked to dementia. It is never too early to prevent dementia and there is quite a lot we can do ourselves to save our brains, not only our hearts, because there are the same risk factors for both diseases. We have known for years that trying to control obesity, blood pressure and cholesterol can prevent heart disease. But now it's not only the heart you can save, but also the brain," the author of the study explained.