Although her grandfather had dementia when he died, Christine Richardson did not worry much about his brain until the laboratory test revealed that it was positive for Apoe4, a gene that was associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. It was seven and a half years ago.
Richardson, who is already 51, remembers crying when she gets the news. “I was horrified,” she said. “This is a terrible, terrible disease without treatment.”
Thus, Richardson, the owner of a business in Richmond, Virginia, decided to make any changes to reduce the risk of the disease. “I do what I can to fall asleep enough. I continue to actively. I try to eat well and maintain a healthy weight and I always work my brain to learn new things,” she said.
Christine Richardson, seen here with his daughters, has tested positively about Apoe4, a gene that is associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. (Kindness Christine Richardson)
Two new studies presented at the International Conference of the Alzheimer’s Association, Monday in Toronto, can give some hope to Richardson and others who carry a genetic risk to the disease. Both new studies are upgrading previous evidence that diet, some brain training exercises and physical activity can slow down memory loss and slow down the decline in other cognitive abilities.
One study examined the impact of walking on 2985 black and white adults who were tested for APOE status and followed for 10 years. Each year, the participants were questioned about the size of the walk they did, and at many points during the tracking period, their cognitive status was evaluated by standardized exams.
In general, participants with the mutation of the Apoe4 gene showed a higher downturn of knowledge than those with other forms of gene that do not increase the risk of Alzheimer’s. While walking seems to have a protective effect on all participants, it was strongest among those with Apoe4.
The risk of Alzheimer’s development among those with two copies of APOE4 is 12 times the greater than that of women with no one and four times the bigger than that of men with anyone, said senior study by Sindy Barha, Neuroscience Assistant at the University of Calgary and Canada for the brand in the field of neuronnae.
This has changed significantly if people are going. Overall, women took advantage of more.
10% more self-reported walking is associated with a 4.7% increase in complex thinking results in women and a 2.6% increase in men.
Among the carriers of Apoe4, men seem to take advantage of more. 10% more self-reported walking is associated with an 8.5% increase in global cognitive results over time in women and a 12% increase in men. It was a surprise for the researchers who expected women to continue to benefit more.
Walking seems to keep the brain healthier by pumping the levels of the neurotrophic factor derived from the brain (BDNF), a protein known to support brain cell health, Barha said. Other proteins in the brain may be included.
“BDNF is like a fertilizer for your brain that is naturally produced, especially when you are physically active, such as when walking,” Barha said. “It helps brain cells survive, grow and form more strong connections; this maintains memory, learning and mood, especially in the hippocampus, which is the center of brain memory.”
The study limit is that it does not track how quickly or how often participants went.
Risk of dementia modified by lifestyle
The second international study, led by researchers in Finland, found that a combination of lifestyle modifications could also be beneficial for people with Apoe4 variation more than those with other mutations.
The study included 2469 participants from France, Japan and Finland, who were randomly obtained for lifestyle interventions. Among the participants were 709 APOE4 carriers.
Included in lifestyle modifications were:
-
Cognitive training, or computer -based, or with paper and pencil.
-
Physical activity, including group physical group sessions, lasted 90 minutes and an exercise program controlled by physiotherapists in the gym.
Preliminary analysis revealed that the benefit of the intervention is more among the APOE4 carriers.
Study co -author Jenny Lechtissalo, a research associate at the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare, said the main absorption is that the risk of dementia, even in people with genetic predisposition, can be changed through a way of life.
There were about four times the big benefit than those who were positive for Apoe4, said Lytisalo, who was also a visiting researcher at the University of Eastern Finland.
The hope is that future research will reveal whether there is a specific period of time during which the modifications are more effective, she said.
Dr. Cynthia Boyd, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology Department in John Hopkins Medicine, said studies show that “there is something specific that we can all do to reduce the risk of cognitive decline”.
“Modifications of walking and other lifestyles can be protective for the brain,” says Boyd, who has not participated in a new study.
Adam Brickman, a professor of neuropsychology at the college of doctors and surgeons at the University of Colombia, said that in order to optimize brain and cognitive health, it is a good idea for everyone, regardless of genetic risk, to engage in physical activity, maintain a good diet and observe other risk factors.
“Sometimes the initiation of new healthy behavior is difficult for people,” Brickman said. “Knowing an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease by virtue of Apoe4 allele can help inspire or motivate changes in lifestyle to mitigate that risk.”
This article was originally published on nbcnews.com