Cleaning Up Cells as Potential Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease
A study in mice suggests that supporting autophagy in brain cells could ameliorate symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
The rise of the elderly
Modern medicine and healthcare have caused average life expectancy to rise. As a result, the elderly (>65 years of age) are the most rapidly growing demographic group globally.
One of the worries about this coming ‘gray tide’ is that it could prove to be a substantial healthcare burden, not in the least due to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain condition associated with cognitive, memory, and behavioral problems. Several genes are involved in Alzheimer’s disease, with APOE being a major one. A specific version of this gene, APOEε4, is associated with a significantly increased risk for Alzheimer’s.
But genes are not (entirely) destiny. Lifestyle factors influence the risk for developing Alzheimer’s regardless of your genetic predisposition. Exercise— both mental and physical — reduces the risk. Physical exercise is good for your brain, as is mental exercise. Reading, writing, playing games, learning a new language, making music… All these activities…
