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.

Two recent studies in mice have suggested that grape seed extract may fight Alzheimer’s disease by both reducing circulating levels of amyloid beta and inhibiting the formation of amyloid oligomers.

The first study, published in the journal Neurotoxicity Research in 2009, found that compared to a control diet, long term feeding of a diet containing 2% grape seed extract to mice genetically altered to be susceptible to Alzheimer’s disease resulted in a 33% and 44% reduction in amyloid beta levels in the brain and blood respectively.

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.

A new study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association this month, has found that high doses of three B vitamins: B6, B12, and folate, do not slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers from the Department of Neurosciences at the University of California randomly assigned 340 participants suffering from mild Alzheimer’s disease into a high dose group and a control group.

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.

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.

People who exercise regularly are less likely to experience brain shrinkage during the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease according to a new study published in the July 15 issue of the journal Neurology.

The study was conducted by researchers out of the University of Kansas School of Medicine. The researchers compared the brain sizes and fitness levels of 64 individuals who were free of dementia and 57 patients who had recently been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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.