How to delay brain aging
Scientists from the UK and the Netherlands conducted a joint study to find out what factors stimulate brain aging. The journal JAMA Neurology writes about this. The results of the experiment are already being called revolutionary.
In total, dementia is provoked by about 40 factors, but 15 of them have the most powerful impact, researchers say. There is a threat even for relatively young people – the disease can be acquired as early as 65 years of age.
Scientists were able to find out what contributes to the development of dementia by analyzing the lifestyle of 356 thousand people – all of them did not suffer from dementia at the start of the experiment. However, after 10-15 years, 500 people became its carriers.
It turns out that dementia is most likely to develop in people with low levels of education and socioeconomic status. Adverse effects include a reclusive lifestyle, depression, heart disease, diabetes, orthostatic hypotension, stroke, poor hearing and low vitamin D levels.
Alcohol also has an effect – the risk of brain aging exists both for those who do not drink at all and for those who have problems with drinking and have reached the stage of alcoholism.
Scientists have also been able to establish a link between dementia and the presence of two ε4 alleles in the apolipoprotein gene (APOE), high levels of C-reactive protein and decreased hand grip strength.
The study notes that nothing can be done about only one factor from this list – we are talking about the structure of the gene that transmits Alzheimer’s disease by inheritance. Everything else is fixable, so with lifestyle changes many people can help their bodies and reduce their risk of dementia.
“This is the largest and most robust study of its kind ever conducted. Interestingly, it demonstrates for the first time that we can take action to reduce the risk of dementia by targeting different factors that contribute to its development,” said Professor David Llewellyn from the University of Exeter.
Previously, scientists advised getting a dog to avoid brain aging.
2024-01-08 07:09:03
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