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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Oily fish intake and dietary omega-3s may improve eye health

Fish intake, the major source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). There are two types of AMD: wet and dry. Of these two types, wet AMD is the primary cause of vision loss.

In a study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers recruited 105 people (age 65 and over) with wet AMD and 2170 healthy people to act as controls, then compared their dietary habits using questionnaires. The scientists then investigated the association of oily fish and dietary DHA and EPA with wet AMD.

Compared to people who consumed less than one portion of fish per week, participants who consumed at least one serving of oily fish per week had a 50 percent reduction in risk of developing wet AMD. In addition, people who got at least 300 mg per day of DHA and EPA were 68 and 71 percent less likely to have wet AMD than those with lower consumptions.

The results of this study support previous research indicating a protective benefit of omega-3s against the onset of AMD. The benefit may be due in part to their important role in the layer of nerve cells in the retina.


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