Taking Action Against Dementia, Science Says

As we age there is often the concern that we will lose our memory, especially if we have seen it occur in older family members.  While there is no ‘cure all’ for dementia, a recently published study in the Lancet encourages us that there are proactive steps we can take to reduce cognitive decline.  This large double-blind randomized control study (very rare for a lifestyle intervention) compared 2 groups; the intervention group received diet and exercise modification along with cognitive training, while the control group received general health advice.  The researchers concluded, after the 2 years study period, that participant in the intervention group scored better on cognitive tests than the control group.

As humans walking this earth, there are things far beyond our control, we all know this.  However, thinking that our health is entirely up to our genetic predisposition is both disempowering and false.  The study mentioned above and thousands of other studies show that there are aspects of our health that we get to have a say in.  There is a term for this, ‘modifiable risk factors.’  For instance, smoking is a modifiable risk factor for lung cancer, stroke and kidney disease.  If a smoker stops smoking they have proactively modified their risk for developing those diseases.  In the same way reducing saturated fat, fried foods and sugar modifies someone’s risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

For dementia, individual modifiable risk factors have been determined, but the trial above tests them all together in over 1,000 participants who are already showing signs of dementia.  Enough participants continued in the study for the results to show a significant difference between the 2 groups.  A ‘significant’ finding in a scientific study means the final measured difference in test scores was great enough to be caused by the intervention and not by chance.  In this case, a significant finding means that the researchers are confident that diet, exercise and cognitive training are more effective than general health advice for actually reducing progression of dementia.

The article highlights that the lifestyle factors are likely improving vascular function, a long held theory about the progression of dementia.  If our brains are not getting the proper amount of blood flow, it does not get adequate oxygen.  Improving vascular health, the health of your circulatory system, will help with cognitive functioning.  So, the next time you have an important meeting or test, take a walk around the block beforehand and get that blood moving!

Reference:

Ngandu T, Lehtisalo J, Solomon A, et al. A 2 year multidomain intervention of diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring versus control to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk elderly people (FINGER): a randomized controlled trial. Lancet. 2015 Mar 11. pii: S0140-6736(15)60461-5.2.