A number of studies presented this month at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC 2012) point to how a healthier lifestyle can play an important role in preventing or delaying the symptoms of Alzheimer's. The studies look at the effects of exercise, alcohol consumption and sleep patterns.

Exercise

The results of four studies reported at AAIC 2012 found "targeted exercise training" effective in improving mental functioning and reducing risk for cognitive impairment and dementia in cognitively healthy older adults. The studies also found a benefit for those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Previous studies focused on the benefits of aerobic exercise in maintaining cognitive ability and/or slowing the progression of cognitive impairment. The new studies included resistance training and balance-stretching in addition to aerobics, with resistance training emerging as particularly valuable for older adults. The published studies are expected to specify the types of physical activities, frequency, intensity and length of training time that are most effective.

Five studies presented at the conference provided evidence of a connection between the way a person walks and cognitive functioning. It is commonly accepted that slower walking was just part of getting old, but research shows some changes go beyond normal aging. From the research, it appears that when a person's gait gets slower or becomes more variable or less controlled, cognitive function is also suffering. Changes in walking begin to appear before other signs of mental decline. The connection is so significant that experts believe a relatively simple tool could be developed to help doctors forecast possible Alzheimer’s disease.

“It’s like driving a car — you need an engine, a chassis and steering,” said Dr. Stephanie Studenski, an expert on walking who was not involved in the dementia studies. The engine of walking is the heart, lungs and blood, she said. The chassis is the muscles, joints and bones; the steering is “the wiring — the nervous system." Although scientists have studied gait changes related to other diseases such as heart attack, stroke and Parkinson's, the connection between walking and mental cognition is relative new.

One interesting aspect of the test was the introduction of two tasks done at the same time. The participants appeared to walk normally and be able to do mental tasks, such as count backwards from 50 by twos, when the tasks were done independently. However, when the tasks were combined, significant degradation in the ability to do both tasks occurred.

Sleep Quality

Several studies reported at AAIC 2012 suggest a relationship between sleep quality and quantity and risk of cognitive decline. Researchers in these studies found:

• Extreme changes in sleep durations, which was identified as 2 hours more or less per night than normal, and changes in sleep duration over time may contribute to cognitive decline and early Alzheimer's changes in older adults.
• Participants with sleep apnea or other forms of sleep-disordered breathing were twice as likely to developed MCI or dementia compared with those who did not have sleep breathing disorders.
• Participants with greater nighttime wakefulness were more likely to score worse on tests of global cognition and verbal fluency than those without it.
• Participants with excessive daytime sleepiness, was associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline.

Alcohol Consumption

Researchers in the area of alcohol consumption advised doctors and healthcare professionals to access the drinking patterns of older patients. Drinking patterns indicative of increased risk in the 20-year study were:

• Moderate drinking -- two drinks a day for men and one drink per day for women -- was considered to increase the risk of cognitive impairment by 60% in the later stages of the 20-year study.
• Women who changed from non-drinkers to drinkers during the course of the study had a 200% increased risk of cognitive impairment.
• Women who drank more alcohol earlier in life than at the beginning of the study had a 30% increased risk of cognitive impairment.
• Binge drinking - defined as someone who is not a heavy drinker having several drinks on one occasion - two or more times per month doubled the risk of cognitive impairment.

To me the data is clear: it is probably a good idea not to drink as you get older. According to Dr. George Grossberg, older patients who are experience cognitive decline or have been diagnosed with Alzheimer Disease should avoid drinking because even small amounts of alcohol can decrease their cognitive abilities and can perhaps trigger behavioral problems.

As we talk about a great deal in our blogs, the decisions you make everyday influence your health. My blog post An Ounce of Prevention identifies a number of lifestyle-related ways in which you can lower your risk of Alzheimer Disease. When the full studies of the papers presented at the conference are published, more details will emerge about how to reduce your risk of Alzheimer Disease. In the meantime, keep reading our blog posts and using Dr. Grandma's delicious, healthy recipes.