Alzheimer’s Disease News, Articles & Information

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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People who regularly take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s) for more than five years are significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease according to a study published this month in the journal Neurology.

The study found that certain NSAID’s, in particular ibuprofen, cut the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by almost 50% however other NSAID’s including aspirin and COX-2 inhibitors such as celecoxib did not have an effect on Alzheimer’s disease.

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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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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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Amyloid plaques, found in the brains of Alzheimer’s sufferers, can form in as little as a few hours according to a recent American study published in the science journal Nature.

Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Neuro-degenerative Disease analyzed the brains of mice bred to develop amyloid plaques using an advanced microscopic imaging technique known as “multiphoton laser confocal microscopy” in order to view the formation of the plaques and the subsequent damage as it occurred in the brains of the mice.

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While many have heard that Marijuana can help reduce the symptoms of brain disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and can ease some of the side effects of cancer, several studies have also shown that the drug may have potential benefits for Alzheimer’s sufferers.

In two separate studies conducted on rats, one at the Cajal Institute in Madrid, Spain and the other at the Scripps Research Institute in California, the active ingredient in marijuana, known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC was found to be

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While there are some Alzheimer’s risk factors, such as age and a family history of Alzheimer’s disease that cannot be changed, there are many things you can do to reduce your chances of getting the disease. Here are seven easy ways to slow down or prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

#1 Eat fish at least twice a week or take a fish or flax oil supplement

Omega-3, found in oily fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel as well as flax oil and spinach, has been found to prevent and slow the build up of plaques in the brain. In a study of mice, those fed diets high in DHA (a type of omega-3) had a 40% lower incidence of brain plaques and up to 70% less amyloid protein in their brains (a precursor to plaques).

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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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