Can brain jogging help prevent Alzheimer's?

Having a healthy lifestyle and brain jogging against Alzheimer's?
The treatment options for Alzheimer's disease are still extremely limited and only a delay in the course of the disease can be achieved with the existing therapeutic options. Therefore, the prevention is all the more important. There have been many reports of positive effects of healthy lifestyles and regular brain training, but these measures can actually prevent the onset of the disease?

To what extent Alzheimer's can be avoided by brain jogging or a healthy lifestyle can, according to Dr. Thorsten Müller and Gregor Leonhardt from the Medical Proteome Center of the Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) have not yet been answered clearly. Although there are indications of the positive effects of such measures, they could not be applied to all patients. Also, the previous studies partly come to conflicting results. In general, however, much speaks for a healthy lifestyle and regular training of cognitive abilities.

Whether brain training actually serves to prevent Alzheimer's remains still controversial. (Image: M. Schuppich / fotolia.com)

Two different forms of Alzheimer's disease
According to the experts, two forms of Alzheimer's are basically to be distinguished - the sporadic form of the disease, which occurs more frequently from the age of 65, and the genetically inheritable form. Preventive measures can only have an effect on the first form. "In the latter, there are mutations in the genome, which makes the disease very early," said the RUB. Gregor Leonhardt emphasizes that "in this form of Alzheimer's also preventive measures help little." The lifestyle and brain training offer no protection here.

Controversial effects of education
On the other hand, the situation is different with sporadic senile dementia. Theoretically, many of the known risk factors could be avoided, with particular reference to obesity, diabetes mellitus, and low education as such. However, the biggest risk factor is the increasing age and this can not be eliminated. Also, according to the researchers, the relationship with education can be viewed critically. For "31 studies carried out in Europe on this topic, 19 studies have been able to produce a positive influence between education and Alzheimer's dementia, in twelve studies, however, this reference could not be found," explains Dr. med. Thorsten Müller. A clear statement can not be made accordingly.

What effect does the lifestyle have??
The RUB researchers also point to another interesting observation in a study of nuns who have been studied for Alzheimer's disease and whose brain cerebral autopsy was performed to objectively assess brain status. Although the women had shown no signs of disease during their lifetime, but were determined post mortem certain proteins that indicate Alzheimer's, reports the RUB. Here, the question arises whether the healthier, stress-free lifestyle in the Order of the Nuns had an influence on the lack of dementia, even though the typical deposits were present. (Fp)