Will a healthy lifestyle help prevent Alzheimer's disease?
Alzheimer's disease (AD) appears to resemble other chronic diseases, whereby a myriad of interconnected factors, including those associated with lifestyle, are involved in disease development. In this paper, we examine accepted and proposed risk factors for AD and explore health behaviors, including diet, exercise, prevention of injury, and cognitive stimulation, that may help prevent AD. Adherence to a healthy lifestyle may directly protect against AD or may prevent diseases associated with AD, such as vascular disease and diabetes. A healthy lifestyle to prevent AD may be important throughout life rather than after disease manifestation and may be particularly relevant if other factors, such as genetic predisposition, also increase risk of AD. If changes in lifestyle can help prevent AD by reducing modifiable risk factors, this knowledge can aid individuals who wish to take action to protect themselves and their families from the disease.
Pope
Sandra K
SK
Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA. popesandrak@uams.edu
Shue
Valorie M
VM
Beck
Cornelia
C
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000975:Antioxidants; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States
D000975:Antioxidants