Australian scientists at Melbourne’s Deakin University confirm a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids can protect the brain from developing Alzheimers disease.

Its protective powers stem from an ability to regulate the brain’s natural level of zinc, which can prove toxic at elevated levels, cellular biologist and project leader Professor Leigh Ackland said last Tuesday.

They found that when the level of DHA in neuronal cells drops, the level of zinc rises (Omega-3 fatty acids contain a combination of EPA, DHA and alpha linoleic acid).

Previous research had shown a reduced incidence of neurodegenerative diseases in populations with a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.

Editor’s Note: DHA is found most commonly in cold water fatty fish while a vegetarian source can be derived from seaweed.

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An animal study shows that by means of a harmless fluorescent dye placed on the retina of the eye, a follow-up eye exam could help diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease and other neurological disorders before the appearance of actual symptoms begin.

This study was recently published in the open-access peer-reviewed journal Cell Death and Disease. Plans are being made for human trials soon.

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There is growing evidence that lifestyle can affect your brain health and
risk for dementia.

Here are some brain saving tips:
1) Walk backwards as an exercise - this has been found to have excellent brain stimulating effects.
2) Learn new dance steps
3) Surf the web
4) Eat healthy, don’t smoke, avoid alcohol except a glass of red wine at night if you like, and get plenty of regular exercise.

From www.naturaleyecare.com

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This week’s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (Dec 16) features a report on a long-term, prospective study of elderly, dementia-free individuals led by researchers from Boston University School of Medicine and the Framingham Heart Study focusing on the association between the protein hormone Leptin and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Specifically, people with higher baseline circulating Leptin levels were found to have a significantly reduced incidence of AD and dementia. Individuals in the lowest quartile of gender-specific Leptin levels had an absolute AD risk of 25%, while persons in the highest quartile had only a 6% risk over a 12-year follow-up period (see also Neurotez Inc.).

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Numerous studies connect diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease.

A study in 2004 examined the association between type II diabetes, high insulin levels, and Alzheimer’s risk. A total of 683 men and women were followed and examined for signs of Alzheimer’s and increased insulin levels. As in the earlier study, the scientists found that high insulin levels, which are intimately connected to type II diabetes, were significantly correlated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

Luchsinger JA, Tang MX, Shea S, Mayeux R. Hyperinsulinemia and risk of Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2004 Oct 12;63(7):1187-92.

The possible mechanism by which high insulin levels are linked to Alzheimer’s was elucidated in a 2005 study published in the Archives of Neurology. Researchers showed that by mimicking high insulin levels (such as those seen in patients with insulin resistance and type II diabetes) in 16 healthy men ranging in age from 55 to 81, they were able to elevate inflammatory markers and beta amyloid levels in the brain, two characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease.

Fishel MA, Watson GS, Montine TJ, et al. Hyperinsulinemia provokes synchronous increases in central inflammation and beta-amyloid in normal adults. Arch Neurol. 2005 Oct;62(10):1539-44.

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Older people with stronger muscles are at reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to their weaker peers, a new study shows.

Dr. Patricia A. Boyle of Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago and her colleagues found that the greater a person’s muscle strength, the lower their likelihood of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s over a four-year period. The same was true for the loss of mental function that often precedes full-blown Alzheimer’s.

People who ranked in the top 10 percent for muscle strength were 61 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than the weakest 10 percent. Stronger people also showed a slower decline in their mental abilities over time.

SOURCE: Archives of Neurology, November 2009.

Reported from Natural Eye Care

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An analysis of “real-world” clinical data indicates that vitamin E, and
drugs that reduce generalized inflammation, may slow the decline of mental and physical abilities in
people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) over the long term.

Dr. Alireza Atri, at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the VA Bedford Medical Center, and Harvard
Medical School, Boston, led the National Institutes of Health-sponsored research. The findings, reported
at the annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society in Chicago, stem from data on 540 patients
treated at the MGH Memory Disorders Unit.

All of the patients were receiving standard-of-care treatment with a drug intended to help patients
with Alzheimer’s. As part of their clinical care, 208 patients also took vitamin E but no
anti-inflammatory, 49 took an anti-inflammatory but no vitamin E, 177 took both vitamin E and an
anti-inflammatory, and 106 took neither.

While the daily dose of vitamin E ranged from 200 to 2000 units, the majority of patients were given
high doses that ranged from 800 units daily to 1000 units twice daily.

For more related information on Alzheimer’s Disease and nutrients, go to www.naturaleyecare.com/diseases.asp?d_num=39

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