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As our population ages, people with chronic cardiovascular disease, including atrial fibrillation (or irregular heartbeat), are living longer. In a study reported in the journal Heart Rhythm (Volume 7, page 433) researchers reported that atrial fibrillation may be associated with an increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Over 37,000 people, average age 60, from the ongoing Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study database were evaluated for signs of atrial fibrillation and for Alzheimer's disease or vascular, senile or nonspecific dementia. During an average of five years' follow-up, 4 percent developed dementia and 27 percent developed atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation was associated with each of the four types of dementia, independent of other cardiovascular diseases. The youngest group with atrial fibrillation (under age 70) had the highest risk of dementia; dementia is linked to older age, so this finding suggests the relationship between atrial fibrillation and dementia is particularly strong. Atrial fibrillation was also linked with the highest risk of death.

Take away: Because subjects with atrial fibrillation were identified as having higher risks of dementia and death, people with cardiovascular diseases -- who are urged to consider measures like diet, exercise, medication and avoiding tobacco for their heart disease -- might want to take these steps also to prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer's.

All the facts you need to make informed decisions if you have to confront Alzheimer's disease -- the most common cause of dementia

Written by Dr. Peter V. Rabins, director of the Division of Geriatric and Neuropsychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Medical Editor of the Johns Hopkins Memory Bulletin, Diagnosing and Treating Alzheimer's Disease is an indispensable resource for anyone concerned about Alzheimer's disease. This new report provides all the facts you need to make informed decisions if you have to confront Alzheimer's disease. You'll learn how Alzheimer's is currently diagnosed ... the existing drugs that are used to treat it ... and various new therapies that may someday provide better treatment.

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Dr. Potter, chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center says:

Stay mentally active. What actually happens is that as we get older, synapses in the brain are stimulated by mental activity, so this helps to preserve mental ability. Just being well-educated is a good idea. Education and mental stimulation helps to create and preserve and develop new connections. So taking a course later in life is a good idea.

Following a good heart-healthy diet is good for memory because what's good for your heart is good for your brain. And you can actually stimulate develop of new brain cells with physical activity.

Dr. Mastrianni, Associate Professor of Neurology; Co-Director, Center for Comprehensive Care and Research on Memory Disorders at the University of Chicago Medical Center says:

There things one can do to avoid developing Alzheimer's disease or memory decline associated with aging.  Lifestyle changes that have shown benefit include routine physical exercise, staying socially active and eating a heart-healthy diet. At least 30 minutes a day of physical activity gets your heart pumping and improves oxygenation of brain cells.

Social activity may include staying actively working, or volunteering in local organizations or clubs.  Research suggests that having a large network of social interactions helps to maintain good brain function and even delay Alzheimer's disease.

Finally, eliminating unhealthy practices such as cigarettes, too little sleep, and too much stress can't hurt and are likely to help your brain function better.

Dr. Shulman, assistant professor of neurology and associate director of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology at the Pearl Barlow Center for Memory Evaluation and Treatment at the Silberstein Alzheimer's Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center says:

There are four main pillars of keeping healthy memory or maintaining brain fitness: healthy diet, exercise, keeping mentally stimulated and avoiding depression. There is no single entity that we can modify that will decrease the likelihood of someone developing Alzheimer's. It's a combination of applying all of these.

The issue with avoiding depression is a controversial one: Is depression itself a risk factor for dementia, or is the early sign of depression the earliest sign of dementia itself? It looks increasingly like it's a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, and there's a whole host of complicated reasons, but it does seem that if you keep stress-free and depression-free, that in and of itself is insurance for healthy aging.

Original article My Health News Daily

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Up to half of Alzheimer's disease cases worldwide are potentially attributable to seven preventable risk factors, a new study suggests. 

The findings show that Alzheimer's cases could be reduced if people quit smoking, increased their physical activity, enhanced their mental activity, controlled their blood pressure and diabetes, and managed their obesity and depression. 

The top 3 factors

In this study by University of California, San Fransisco, the authors reviewed previous research that examined factors that predispose people to developing Alzheimer's. They identified seven factors that were potentially within a person's control to change. 

Enhancing mental activity could make the biggest difference in developing Alzheimer's. That's because the study showed "low educational attainment" was the factor that impacts the largest portion of Alzheimer's cases worldwide. They defined low educational attainment as not completing higher education, having a low IQ or not participating in mentally stimulating leisure time activities, and found it contributes to 19% of Alzheimer's cases, or 6.5 million cases worldwide. 

Smoking contributes to the second-highest number of cases, 14% of cases, or 4.7 million cases worldwide.
Physical inactivity contributed to 13% of worldwide cases and was the third-largest factor. However, it was the highest contributor to cases in the U.S. — contributing to 21%, or 1.1 million cases. 

What really mattered was how common the risk factors were in the population. In the U.S., about a third of the population is sedentary, so a large number of Alzheimer's cases are potentially attributable to physical inactivity. 

However, worldwide, low education was more important, because so many people throughout the world are illiterate or are not educated beyond elementary school. And, smoking also contributed to a large percentage of cases worldwide because it is still very common. 

This suggests that smoking cessation and initiatives to increase physical activity could dramatically decrease  the number of Alzheimer's cases. 

A note of caution

It has been noted that while these seven factors may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's, none of the factors have been shown to cause the disease. 

However, the findings suggest "that preventive and therapeutic interventions have great potential," and that interventions should be carried out in high-risk populations. 

Globally, an estimated 33.9 million people have Alzheimer's, but that number could be reduced by 3 million if there was a 25% reduction in all seven of these risk factors. A 10% reduction in these seven factors could prevent 1.1 million cases. The number of worldwide cases is expected to triple over the next 40 years.

The results of the study were presented July 20 at The Alzheimer's Association 2011 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD), held in Paris. The study was simultaneously published online in the journal The Lancet Neurology. 

Original article on MSNBC.com

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As we get older, many of us will notice changes in our memory. Forgetfulness is a normal part of getting older, however, dementia and Alzheimer's disease is not. How can we tell the difference? We all worry, about ourselves and our parents as we watch them age; and with good reason.

Presently, one in ten people 65 and older has Alzheimer's, about 5 million people. But only half have been diagnosed with the disease. It is estimated that by 2050 as many as 16 million people will have it.
As we become more and more educated about this terrible disease, we often find ourselves wondering when we or someone we love will get it, not if we or someone we love will get it. You may be concerned because you have noticed recurring "senior moments".  As we age, we notice our senior moments more and more.
 
So where does normal forgetfulness end and mild cognitive impairment begin? Some experts think that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the early signs of Alzheimer's disease. Unfortunately, there is no definitive test for diagnosing Alzheimer’s, but your personal history and mental status exams are accurate about 90% of the time. Alzheimer's progresses very slowly for most people. The downward slide of thinking, memory, and judgment are gradual, over the span of many years.

If you have concerns about yourself or a loved one, find out all you can about your own, or their, personal history and speak with your doctor. Education about Alzheimer’s Disease is the best way to understand an prepare yourself, if necessary, for this terrible disease.

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