A new study shows that by treating medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, seniors who are showing signs of memory and cognition problemswill have less of chance of developing full-blown Alzheimer’s disease.
The comprehensive study began over seven years ago when researchers in China began following 837 residents ages 55 and older who had mild cognitive impairment but not dementia. Of these, 414 had at least one medical condition that can impair blood flow to the brain.
When the researchers reviewed their data five years later, 298 of the participants had developed Alzheimer's. Subjects who had high blood pressure or other vascular problems at the beginning of the study were twice as likely to develop dementia, compared with those without these risks. In fact, half of the seniors with vascular risks progressed to Alzheimer's, compared with only 36 percent of those without.
Even more impressive: Among those with vascular problems, those who received treatment were almost 40 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's than those who did not. The researchers suggested that vascular risk factors may affect the metabolism of plaque, which accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer's patients and seems to play an important role in the disease. The study was published in the journal Neurology.
These finding might encourage patients and doctors to pursue early treatment of vascular ills to prevent plaque from building and interfering with healthy brain activity. Stay tuned for more developments in this area.
Robin Westen is ThirdAge’s medical reporter. Check for her daily updates.
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