Eating Fish Once a Week Cuts Dementia Risk
October 25, 2002

LONDON (Reuters) - Eating fish once a week may help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (news - web sites) and other forms of dementia, French scientists said Friday.

After studying the diets of more than 1,600 elderly people living in southern France they found that, after a follow-up period of up to seven years, people who ate the most fish had the fewest signs of dementia.

"Elderly people who eat fish or seafood at least once a week are at a lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease," said Pascale Barberger-Gateau of the University Victor Segalen in Bordeaux.

Fish is high in polyunsaturated fatty acids which Barberger-Gateau and his colleagues said could reduce inflammation in the brain. They may also have an impact on brain development and the regeneration of nerve cells.

Other medical studies have shown that eating fish regularly could significantly cut the risk of death from a heart attack.

The scientists, who reported their findings in the British Medical Journal, said they did not find any significant link between eating meat and the risk of dementia.

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Scientists Test Common Medicines and Mental Exercise as Preventives for Alzheimer's
October 30, 2002
By DANIEL Q. HANEY, AP Medical Editor

BOSTON - Maybe it would be going a bit far to suggest that reading this news article will keep you from getting Alzheimer's disease.

But why take a chance? Keep going, and you will encounter the latest ideas about Alzheimer's prevention. You will absorb a few unfamiliar words. You will follow the back-and-forth about what experts know and wish they knew. In short, you will probably learn something.

In theory, learning is good for the brain, especially old brains, although of course it is no guarantee, since plenty of newspaper readers get Alzheimer's. But staying mentally active, whether working a crossword puzzle or composing a symphony, might help forestall the worst by building up a reserve of mental circuits that keep thoughts flowing smoothly even when this awful disease takes root.

The use-it-or-lose-it theory — and it's only that, a theory — is one of many being investigated by brain researchers seeking ways to delay or perhaps even prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease. They suspect that the way people live, the pills they take, even the way they think may influence their risk of the disease.

Much of the work involves the hunt for mind-protecting medicines, but new ones are years away from routine use. In the meantime, scientists hope to prove good solutions are already in the medicine cabinet. The possibilities include such familiar items as vitamin E, cholesterol pills, anti-inflammatory painkillers, estrogen, folate and ginkgo biloba.

That's a big change. Until recently, the suggestion that garden-variety elderly dementia might actually be preventable seemed silly, since it was assumed to be an inevitable consequence of aging.

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Casey, you have done your home work.You are to be commended.

My mothers doctor has always believed that fats in the diet play a big part in AD.He believes proper nutrition is so important.He believes a strong diet of anti oxidants is important.The real fruits and vegetables along with the vitamins.He is also a strong believer in ibreprofan as he feels there is reason to believe there is inflamation and this will give some relief.He told me if I were to find I had this gene to immediately go on a high oxidant diet.He strongly believes diet plays an important role.He states that 5 helping of fruits and vegetables are important.I have given mother pure fruit and vegetable juice in the morning and after noon and the real vegetables with dinner.My doctor and hers believe, for now, the only true test is done with passing.An autopsy.He does believe a cause and cure are in the near future.But for most of us a lot too late.

Fat and Calories Mean Higher AD Risk
by Tom Fagan
Alzheimer Research Forum

15 August 2002. When it comes to food and the quality of life there is a growing wealth of knowledge that suggests “less is more.” This mantra is supported by a new study associating high caloric intake with increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Richard Mayeux and colleagues from Columbia University, New York, enrolled randomly chosen healthy volunteers aged 65 or older in a study to investigate relationships between high caloric or fat intake and Alzheimer’s disease. The results are reported in this month’s Archives of Neurology. Of 980 participants originally enrolled, 242 developed Alzheimer’s disease. Those with the highest caloric and fat consumption were 1.3 – 1.5 times more likely to develop AD, although this was not statistically significant. However, when the data was adjusted for those carrying one or two copies of the e4 variant of the apolipoprotein E (Apo E) gene, it revealed that these individuals were statistically over two-fold more likely to develop AD if their caloric intake was in the highest quartile (1870 kcal per day). A similar correlation between fat intake and AD risk was also observed.

ApoE e4 is a well known risk factor for AD. Although the underlying reason for this is unknown, it probably involves lipid metabolism and amyloid-b deposition. For now, at least, it may be prudent for those who test positive for this variant of the gene to pay particular attention to their diet.

Reference:
Luchsinger JA, Tang M-X, Shea S, Mayeux R. Caloric intake and the risk of Alzheimer disease. Arch Neurol 2002 Aug ;59:1258-1263.

Gingko Is a No-Go
by Hakon Heimer
Alzheimer Research Forum

20 August 2002 The natural supplement Gingko biloba does not live up to its advertised claims to boost memory, attention, and related cognitive functions, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Paul Solomon and his colleagues at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, used a wide range of tests and other assessments to demonstrate that normal older adults derived no benefits from gingko when used as recommended by the manufacturer.

Solomon and colleagues gave gingko or a placebo to 130 normal adults over the age of 60. A number of neuropsychological tests of memory, concentration, and language use were conducted both before and after the 6-week trial. (The manufacturer claims that memory and cognitive enhancements will be felt after 4 weeks.) In addition, reports were collected from the subjects and their daily companions. There were no significant differences, or even trends toward improvement, on any measure.

According to the authors, U.S. gingko sales garnered some $240 million in 1997, and more than 5 million prescriptions for the supplement are written in Germany each year, primarily for dementia, cerebral decline, and vascular insufficiency. There have been a number of studies of gingko and cognitive effects in either healthy adults or dementia. Most have been short-term (2-8 weeks), and at best, the results have been spotty—in some cases gingko appeared to slightly raise tests scores in one area for one subgroup of patients at one testing interval, although reports by patients, physicians, and/or relatives have consistently indicated no noticeable enhancement in memory or cognitive status. The current results will do nothing to enhance this questionable efficacy record.

Reference:
Solomon PR, Adams FA, Silver A, Zimmer J, De Veaux R. Ginkgo for memory enhancement: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 21 Aug 2002;288(7):835-40.