New studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Copenhagen on July 15 showed that the incidence rate of the disease has been declining in the U.S. as well as in other developed countries, in recent decades.
One of the studies found that the number of individuals who were diagnosed with dementia in the U.S was 44 percent lower in recent years compared with the diagnosis rate in the late 1970s.
Two other studies that looked at new cases of dementia in Germany, the U.K., Sweden, Netherlands and the U.S have likewise shown a similar pattern.
Lifestyle studies
As reported in the Tech Times, a study conducted by Miia Kivipelto and colleagues, from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden involved 1,260 volunteers in Finland. It showed hints on how to reduce risks for Alzheimer’s, a condition that commonly affects older adults.
For the study, the researchers divided the participants into two groups. One group was given standard care while the other group adopted lifestyle changes. After two years, those in the group that exercised and had healthier diets, managed their heart-health risk factors and were doing brain training outperformed those in the control group in memory and cognitive tests.
“We were surprised that were able to see a clear difference already after two years,” Kivipelto said. “We thought that two years may not be enough, but the multidomain approach seems to be an effective way of doing something to protect memory.”
Read the original article published in Tech Times here.
About the author
