title: Prevention of common neurodegenerative disorders in the elderly.
abstract: Since population aging has become a worldwide phenomenon, the burden of the age-related neurodegenerative diseases is expected to increase dramatically in both developed and developing nations. Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder among old people. Prevention may represent an ideal solution to the challenge posed by this condition. Recent epidemiological studies have revealed a number of risk and protective factors that could influence occurrence of dementia including Alzheimer type dementia. We propose that an active and stimulating lifestyle in late life as well as an optimal control of vascular and other chronic diseases both at middle age and late life can be two possible intervention strategies to prevent or postpone the onset of dementia, and perhaps other neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
authors.affiliation: Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Gerontology Research Center, Gavlegatan 16, S-113 30, Stockholm, Sweden. laura.fratiglioni@ki.se
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fratiglioni
authors.forename: Chengxuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qiu
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class