Tips for preventing memory loss

Can anything be done to forestall memory loss?

Aging itself is the greatest risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. And in about 5% of cases -- most of them diagnosed at an early age -- a genetic variation appears to predispose a person to developing Alzheimer's disease

But a variety of factors seem to reduce the risk of developing dementia. And the good news is that many are risks that people can reduce by changing their behavior.

* Take care of your heart: Rates of Alzheimer's disease are higher for those with high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (fatty buildup in the arteries) and Type 2 diabetes, especially if they are poorly managed. In other words, the health of your heart and blood vessels seems to influence the health of your memory.

These are easy risk factors to identify, and treatments -- including taking medications, quitting smoking, changing your diet and exercising more -- can manage them. Though the evidence remains preliminary, a recent study showed that those with Type 2 diabetes -- generally having three times the normal risk of developing Alzheimer's disease -- reduced their risk of developing dementia when they took cholesterol-lowering statin drug for five to seven years.

* Use those brain cells or lose them: There's no evidence that leading a mentally stimulating life will prevent Alzheimer's disease. But there's lots of evidence that it will forestall the appearance of many of its symptoms -- meaning that even if the brain abnormalities of Alzheimer's disease are ravaging your brain, the "cognitive reserve" you've built up by staying intellectually active may allow you to function well.

Reading, puzzling out new challenges and learning new skills all appear to have positive effects for those at risk of dementia. Most surprising of all, perhaps, is that maintaining a wide network of friends, family and social relationships also helps protect against dementia's symptoms.

* Consume a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid, has been found in one human study to slow rates of cognitive decline among those with very early-stage Alzheimer's disease and in another, to slow the proliferation of brain lesions in mice bred to have Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Gary Small, director of the UCLA Memory Clinic and the UCLA Center on Aging, says that when a patient comes to him with memory complaints that fall short of Alzheimer's disease symptoms, he recommends an omega-3 supplement.

Though the evidence remains preliminary for its beneficial effects, a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to reduce inflammation throughout the body, which could have wide-ranging health effects.


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