UCSF Study Shows Adults Can Reduce Alzheimer’s Risks With Lifestyle Changes

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – In a conference Wednesday afternoon, a UCSF researcher presented the results of a two-year study that found strong evidence that dementia risk factors can be reduced by up to 30%. with a modified lifestyle.

Dr. Kristine Yaffe, professor of psychiatry, neurology and epidemiology, presented her findings from a two-year randomized pilot study of nearly 200 older adults at the annual Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease conference in San Francisco.

She told KPIX 5 that it’s still a complex puzzle to know why some people get Alzheimer’s disease and others don’t. That’s why her team of researchers joined forces with some colleagues at Kaiser Washington in Seattle and proceeded with the two-year study.

For the trial, the researchers recruited older adults who had not been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Half were placed in an intervention group and the other half were designated as a control group.

The control group received educational materials on dementia risk factors. The intervention group got a coach who helped them identify the risk factors they wanted to work on and helped them achieve their goals of modifying them. These risk factors included high blood pressure, diabetes, lack of sleep, social isolation, and lack of physical activity.

At the end of the two-year study, the researchers compared the participants’ performance on cognitive tests, personal satisfaction, and quality of life. The tests showed that those in the intervention group reduced their risk by up to 30%, as they performed better on their cognitive tests.

Dr. Yaffe is a physician and a believer in medication. That said, he told KPIX 5 that while there are promising Alzheimer’s drugs in development, these drugs have modest benefits, have significant side effects, and will likely be quite expensive.

As more promising drugs are developed and come to market, Yaffe advises the public to pay attention to their brain health. That includes keeping a healthy heart, dieting, exercising, and staying engaged with others.

While these risk mods aren’t foolproof and some people will develop dementia, it’s a good investment to focus on your brain health.

“It’s never too late to try to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” Yaffe said.

Additional information about the study can be found on the website of Dr. Yaffe’s laboratory.

Source: news.google.com