Binge drinkers may be as more than 3 times more likely to develop dementia according to a Finnish study published in the journal Epidemiology in 2005.

The study, conducted by researchers at the Department of Neurology at the University of Turku in Finland, involved a group of 554 twins who completeld questionnaires on their drinking habits in 1975 and again in 1981. During the course of the 25 year study, 103 of the participants developed some form of dementia.

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High blood pressure levels in mid-life may increase an individuals odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease more than two-fold according to a study published in the British Medical Journal in June 2001.

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Kuopio in Finland, involved 1,449 middle aged participants from eastern Finland. Both blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels were recorded at the beginning of the study.

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Dietary fat intake, particularly in the form of saturated and trans fat leads to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia according to recent evidence.

In February 2003, a study was published in the journal Archives of Neurology that linked the consumption of both saturated and trans fats with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The study involved 815 individuals aged 65 and older who were followed for an average of four years.

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In August 2002, a study published in the journal Archives of Neurology suggested that those who consume high calorie diets might be up to 50% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who consume low calorie diets.

The study involved 980 individuals aged 65 or older from the northern Manhattan area in New York. The participants were followed for an average of four years and during that period, 242 of the individuals developed Alzheimer’s disease.

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Both heavy smoking and heavy drinking lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease at an earlier age according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Neurology held in Chicago between the 12th and 19th of April.

The study involved 938 people aged 60 or older who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers looked at three potential risk factors: heavy cigarette use, heavy alcohol consumption and the presence of a particular allele of the ApoE gene which is known to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

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A recent study, presented at the 60th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology has found that high total cholesterol levels in middle age can raise an individuals risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 50%.

The researchers analyzed almost 10,000 men and women from Northern California who were initially between the ages of 40 and 45. The participants underwent health evaluations between 1964 and 1973 which included measurements of blood cholesterol and blood pressure.

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A recent study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in January of this year, has found that regular wine consumption may reduce the risk of women developing dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease.

The Swedish study involved 1,458 women initially aged between 38 and 60. The participants were subjected to a physical examination and completed questionnaires on social and lifestyle factors including alcohol use, cigarette use, and education levels. The study began in 1968-1969 and follow up studies were conducted in 1975, 1980-1981, 1992-1993, and at the end of the study in 2002.

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An impaired insulin response and poor glucose tolerance, two characteristics of diabetes, may lead to an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in later life according to a recent study published online in the journal Neurology on April 9.

The study, conducted by Swedish researchers, involved data from the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men which followed 2,269 men aged 50 years in 1970 for an average period of 32 years. At the beginning of the study, the men were tested for both insulin response and glucose tolerance.

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A history of depression, particularly at an early age, is associated with an almost four-fold increase in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease according to a recent study published in the April 08 edition of the journal Neurology.

The researchers, based in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, analyzed 486 people between the ages of 60 or 90 who were free of dementia at the beginning of the study. The participants were followed for a period of six years during which 33 people (6.6%) developed Alzheimer’s disease.

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Scientists at the University of North Dakota have found that as little as one cup of coffee a day might be enough to protect the brain from Alzheimer’s disease by strengthening the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

In the study, published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation, researchers used New Zealand white rabbits to examine the effects of a high cholesterol diet and/or high levels of caffeine consumption on the blood-brain barrier.

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Abdominal fat is already known to be a strong risk factor for both heart disease and diabetes however a new study, published this month in the journal Neurology, has suggested that those with excess fat around the abdomen may be at almost a three times greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias later in life.

6,583 middle-aged adults from the Kaiser Permanente organization in Northern California took part in the study during the 1960s and 70s which involved the measurement of individuals Sagittal Abdominal Diameter (SAD).

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A new study, out of the University of Washington, has suggested that there is a strong genetic component to Alzheimer’s disease. the study found that an individuals’ chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease are almost three times greater if both parents have been diagnosed with the disease.

The study, which was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, followed 111 families in which both parents had been diagnosed with the disease.

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Several studies have suggested that estrogen loss in women may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

One such study involved over 8,800 female residents of a retirement community situated in Laguna Hills, southern California. The residents were surveyed on various health related questions in 1981. Over the 11 year study period, 138 of the participants were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias likely to be Alzheimer’s disease.

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A recent American study, conducted by researchers from the University of Rhode Island, has found that monkeys exposed to trace amounts of lead during their childhood were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

The study involved two groups of baby monkeys, one group were fed a milk formula containing trace amounts of lead for their first 400 days of life, while the other received a lead-free formula.

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