A recent study of Japanese-American men, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society last month, has found that just four modifiable risk factors could explain the majority of dementia cases.

The study involved 3,468 middle aged men from the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study who were followed up over 25 years. The researchers theorized that a healthy lifestyle in mid-life could reduce an individuals probability of developing dementia in their later years.

Much like lead, aluminium is a powerful neurotoxicant that can kill brain cells even at small concentrations, however studies into the role of aluminium in the development of Alzheimer’s disease have been relatively scarce. One area that has been examined is the relationship between aluminium concentrations in drinking water and the subsequent risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Previously we reported that coffee and other caffeinated drinks may protect against Alzheimer’s disease by strengthening the blood brain barrier. A study, published earlier this year has found further evidence of the protective effect of caffeine on the brain by reporting a decreased risk of brain lesions associated with dementia amongst heavy drinkers of caffeinated beverages.

A study, published in the journal Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders this year, has found that adhering to a healthy diet can slash an individuals risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia by 92% and 88% respectively compared to individuals with an unhealthy diet.

The Finnish researchers looked at data from 525 individuals who completed an extensive questionnaire on their dietary habits. The participants were assigned a healthy-diet score based out of 17 based on their consumption of certain foods.

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.

Statins, a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol in people at risk of heart disease, may also be effective in preventing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias according to a new report published in the July 29 edition of the peer-reviewed medical journal Neurology.

The research comes out of the University of Michigan and involved the study of 1,674 elderly Mexican-Americans from Sacramento, California.

Arm and leg length may predict an individuals risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias according to a study published on May 6 in the journal Neurology. The study found that longer arms and greater height at the knee reduced Alzheimer’s disease risk by a small, but significant amount.

American researchers analyzed 2,798 individuals with a mean age of 72 years. During the study 480 (17.2%) of the participants developed dementia over an average follow up period of 5.4 years.

A recent study has found that just fifteen minutes of exercise, three days a week may be enough to reduce an individuals risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias by more than 30%.

The study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine in January 2006, analyzed 1,740 people over the age of 65 who were initially free of dementia.

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

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.

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.

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.

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).

Several studies have suggested a link between high formal education levels and a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, research has shown a tendency for those in highly skilled occupations to be less likely to develop the disease than those in lower skilled, “blue-collar” jobs.

A recent study presented in the journal Neurology, analyzed data taken from the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Dementia study (CAIDE) to determine the extent of the relationship between education and the development of dementia.

A new study has found that some of the most popular fruits, including bananas, apples, and oranges all contain antioxidants that reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Researchers at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York tested phenolic phytochemicals derived from bananas, oranges, and apples on neuron cells. The researchers found that all three of the fruits protected the neuron cells from oxidative stress and prevented neurotoxicity. Apples were found to have the highest levels of beneficial antioxidants.

Web MD reports that newly diagnosed dementia sufferers survive for an average of just four and a half years after diagnosis.

The article discusses the results of a University of Cambridge study, published in the journal Lancet, that followed 13,000 men and women aged over 65.