Apple juice found helpful for those with Alzheimer's disease

Behavioral and psychotic symptoms related to dementia seem to improve when people with moderate-to-late stage Alzheimer's disease regularly drink apple juice.

That's what researchers from the University of Massachusetts found in a study published in the June 2010 issue of American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias.

For their study, the researchers assigned 21 individuals with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease to drink a 4-oz glass of apple juice twice a day for one month.

Though caregivers reported reduction in anxiety, agitation and delusion, the individuals with dementia showed no changes in the Dementia Rating Scale.

Previous studies have suggested that apple juice may provide health benefits including reduction of central nervous system oxidative damage, suppression of Alzhiemer's symptoms, improved cognitive performance and more organized synaptic signaling. Thomas Shea says other researchers have shown similar effects with blueberries. "We have also shown similar effects with purified vitamins and nutriceuticals." Shea is professor of biological sciences and Director of the Center for Cellular Neurobiology & Neurodegeneration Research at Massachusetts.

Would apple juice be helpful in people with other dementias?

"We saw in mice that apple juice boosted neurotransmitter production, so it might help us all with mood, and the major effect would be seen on those individuals, disease or not, that had behavioral issues," he says. "However, it is certainly worth a try."

Shea says he would like to compare apple juice with apple cider in another study because "cider has the potential benefit of being fresher, and less processed."

Read the article from FoodConsumer.

Read the abstract from the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias.

Locating genes for clues to Alzheimer's risk, cause, diagnosis

Neuroscientists have zeroed in on some target genes that may be tied to the development of Alzheimer's disease, and they've shown what abnormalities appear on brain scans of people with these genetic variations.

Both bits of scientific progress are incremental steps toward understanding what causes the disease that afflicts more than 5 millon Americans. The study, lead by researchers in Boston and Cambridge, Mass., England and Wales, appears in this month's Archives of Neurology.

"The drought of genetic findings in Alzheimer's disease has lasted a long time," write scientists based in London and Wales in an editorial accompanying the Archives study. "These findings, and the genome-wide studies that presaged them, mark a new period of optimism for those of us who study the etiologies of complex diseases of the nervous system."

The study explains the association researchers made between genetic loci that are related to Alzheimer's disease and neuorimaging measures that are related to disease risk. (These measures include the volume of the hippocampus, amygdala and other brain structures.) They identify B1N1 and CNTN5 as additional specific locations of genetic variants on chromosomes, but say their findings warrant further study.

Just one genetic variant, known as APOE, has been shown to influence Alzheiemer's disease risk and age at onset, lead authors Drs. Alessandro Biffi and Christopher Anderson write in their background information.

Study participants included 168 people with probable Alzheimer's, 357 people with mild cognitive impairment, a precursor to Alzheimer's, and 215 people who were cognitively normal. "Our results indicate that APOE and other previously validated loci for Alzheimer's disease affect clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and neuroimaging measures associated with the disease," they write.

Will that bring us closer to genetic tests for Alzheimer's?

Somewhat, John Hardy, of the University College London Institute of Neurology, says in an email, "but I think this genetic determinism argument is oversold, frankly.

"About 5 percent of the population are at high risk. About 30 percent of the population are at a moderate risk, and about 65 percent are at lower risk. These numbers are little changed by the new data. And, this is not really so useful for genetic testing."

Read the study in the Archives of Neurology.

The National Institute on Aging's fact sheet on Alzheimer's disease genetics.

Can poor vision predict dementia? Untreated, it's associated with cognitive decline

Poor vision that goes untreated is associated with cognitive decline, particularly Alzheimer's disease. Researchers from the University of Michigan, using Medicare data for 625 seniors, found those with vision problems who did not visit an ophthalmologist had a 9.5-fold increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

”Our results indicate that it is important for elderly individuals with visual problems to seek medical attention so that the causes of the problems can be identified and treated,” says Mary Rogers, PhD. The types of vision treatment that were helpful in lowering the risk of dementia were surgery to correct cataracts and treatments for glaucoma, retinal disorders and other eye-related problems, she says. Rogers is a research assistant professor of internal medicine.

A theory about the association: visual disorders can interfere not only with normal mobility but other activities that may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. These include reading, playing board games, other mentally stimulating activities and social networking.

The university news release.

The abstract from the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Science increasingly links exercise with cognition

I have an appreciation for running. When I'm injured or otherwise unable to run, I feel it--and not just physically. When I run, my mind recharges. It solves problems. It helps me think clearly.

Lenny Bernstein feels similarly. He is the author of an article about how a growing body of evidence links exercise with mental acuity. As a runner, he experiences that cognitive boost, and he writes in The Washington Post : "The tantalizing question for those of us in middle age and beyond (I am 52) is whether this short-term cognitive benefit can be replicated over the long haul. Can exercise help keep our minds sharp? And if so, can it help delay or prevent the truly terrifying mental deterioration of dementia, most commonly seen as Alzheimer's disease?

"Researchers studying both animals and humans increasingly say the answer is yes."

OK, we're not entirely there yet. The link has been observed.

Dr. John Ratey's book, "Spark, the Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain," ($24.99, Little, Brown and Company) gives lots of examples. It says aerobic exercise has been shown to be as effective as antidepressants; that women who exercise, lower their chances of developing dementia by 50 percent; that a revolutionary fitness program helped put one U.S. school district of 19,000 kids first in the world in science; and that exercise has been shown to spark new brain-cell growth.

"The evidence is incontrovertible: aerobic exercise physically transforms our brains for peak performance," Ratey's promotional materials say. "The major implication is that exercise not only keeps the brain from rotting, but it also reverses the cell deterioration associated with aging," the doctor told the newspaper.

The Washington Post article.

Good news brewing: Caffeine in coffee seems to reduce amyloid-beta production in Alzheimer's

The caffeine in coffee may have the ability to slow Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, according to Portugese reseachers writing in The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

They told ScienceDaily that epidemiological studies showed an inverse relationship between chronic caffeine consumption and the motor deficits and neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease. Later, similar studies showed a similar relationship between caffeine and Alzheimer's disease. The same has been demonstrated in animal models.

It's early, but researchers--Alexandre de Mendonça of the University of Lisbon and Rodrigo A. Cunha of the University of Coimbra--believe caffeine may prevent brain degeneration, play a role in improving thinking and memory, and protect against Alzheimer's.

Read the studies yourself, (for a fee.)

5 ways to keep minds young, sharp -- and stave off Alzheimer's

What can we do to keep our brains healthy?

A new book by Paul David Nussbaum, a clinical neuropsychologist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, provides a recipe for a "brain health lifestyle."

"It does work," he says. "Research suggests if you engage in this type of proactive behavior, you build up brain reserves." A decade ago, science didn't understand that cellular connections in the brain continued to be made at any age, what Nussbaum calls "reserves."

Here's the recipe:

1. Physical activity. Did you know that 25 percent of blood flow from each heartbeat is used by the brain? That's why activity matters so much. Walking, aerobic exercise and dancing are good choices.

2. Nutrition. Our brains are comprised of 60 percent fat. To nourish them, we have to consume the right kinds of fats, unsaturated fats found in foods such as fish. Blueberries and spinach are also good choices.

3. Socialization. Brains that are isolated become lonely. It's important to stay integrated and involved, to have a reason for getting up in the morning.

4. Mental stimulation. We need to keep exposing our brains to things that are new and challenging in order to have a brain that develops brain cells. The more brain cells that we have that connect with each other, the more brain reserve we have. Those reserves can fight off dementia--not prevent it, not cure it, but fight it off.

5. Spirituality. Strong research indicates that chronic stress can lead to memory deficits and perhaps even structural problems in the brain. We combat this by relaxing, meditating and/or praying on a daily basis.

Nussbaum's book is called "Save Your Brain--5 Things You Must Do to Keep Your Mind Young and Sharp" (McGraw-Hill, $16.95.)

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story.

KDKA television interview with Nussbaum.

5 spices to keep our brains healthy

Dr. Daniel Amen writes in the May/June issue of AARP Magazine about the spices that are good for our brains. (Learn more about Amen.)

1. Cinnamon. Amen says studies show that this spice can speed the rate at which your brain processes visual cues, which could come in handy in, say, tennis. One possible explanation is that cinnamon regulates blood sugar levels, which can help you stay focused.

2. Garlic. A study in 2007 the journal Cancer noted that garlic compounds can eliminate brain cancer cells, Amen says, adding that some experts predict garlic-based treatments will be created.

3. Ginger. More than 80 percent of migraine-prone people with mild headaches were able to stave them off with a combination of ginger and feverfew, Amen says.

4. Saffron. Amen says the pungent herb, saffron may make more sense to try before popping an antidepressant for a case of mild to moderate depression.

5. Turmeric. The Alzheimer's disease rate in India, where people eat curry almost daily, is one-fourth the rate in the United States. The turmeric effect may be because of curcumin, the active ingredient. In research using mice, it was able to break up brain plaques of amyloid beta, the protein buildup that is a hallmark of Alzheimer's.

Certain food combinations may reduce Alzheimer's

People who eat salad dressing, fish, nuts, poultry and certain fruits and vegetables--and fewer high-fat dairy products, red meats and butter--appear less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, say scientists in the June 2010 issue of Archives of Neurology.

More and more epidemiological research links diet to dementia, showing associations with saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin B12 and folate.

Columbia University Medical Center's Yian Gu lead a study of 2,148 older adults (age 65 and older) without dementia living in New York. Participants provided information about their diets and were assessed for the development of dementia every 1.5 years for an average of four years. During the follow-up, 253 individuals developed Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers found one dietary pattern that was significantly associated with a reduced risk of the disease:

* High intakes of salad dressing, nuts, fish, tomatoes, poultry, fruits and cruciferous and dark and green leafy vegetables

* Low intakes of high-fat dairy, red meat, organ meat and butter.

The combination of nutrients in the low-risk dietary pattern reflect multiple pathways in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, the authors note. “For example, vitamin B12 and folate are homocysteine-related vitamins that may have an impact on Alzheimer’s disease via their ability of reducing circulating homocysteine levels; vitamin E might prevent Alzheimer’s disease via its strong antioxidant effect; and fatty acids may be related to dementia and cognitive function through atherosclerosis, thrombosis or inflammation via an effect on brain development and membrane functioning or via accumulation of beta-amyloid,” they write.

Exercise may protect some people from dementia

How much of an effect can exercise have on slowing cognitive decline? Some studies have already demonstrated benefit. Several others are underway, designed to find out. (One even looks expressly at Zumba.) The exercise, by the way, does not need to be a strenuous cardio workout. Some researchers suggest activities such as gardening, tai chi and walking.

Read my article on LiveStrong.com

Check out these 26 studies that look at exercise and dementia. Would you or someone you love qualify to enroll?

Drop blood pressure, drop dementia risk?

One more reason to control your blood pressure: reduce your risk of dementia. Maybe.

A recent Associated Press story says controlling blood pressure may be the best protection yet known against dementia. Scientists are saying that high blood pressure seems to create scarring in the brain as early as the middle ages, which leads to later development of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

"If you look ... for things that we can prevent that lead to cognitive decline in the elderly, hypertension is at the top of the list," Dr. Walter Koroshetz, deputy director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, told The Associated Press. He said studies soon will get underway to see if people with hypertension can benefit from dropping blood pressure rates even lower than currently recommended.

Recent research has looked at MRI scans in women 65 and older, finding that those with worse blood pressure had higher volumes of "white matter damage," according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension. Another study in the journal Stroke by researchers from Johns Hopkins University tracked 983 people starting in middle age for 15 years. It found that the longer people spent with uncontrolled high blood pressure, the more white matter damage they accumulated.

Certainly high blood pressure, alone, does not predict the development of dementia. But the National Institutes of Health plans to begin enrolling people this fall for a study called SPRINT, the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial. It's designed to look at heart and kidney health, but participants--7,500 people age 55 and older with hypertension--will also be screened for dementia. The question is whether taking agressive steps to lower systolic blood pressure below 120 will prove healthier than the current guidelines.

"We have a number of effective and safe medications to lower blood pressure," Dr. Lawrence Fine told HealthDay. He is chief of the clinical applications and prevention branch in the division of cardiovascular sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. "For the average person right now, the recommendation is a blood pressure of 140/90 or lower. SPRINT will compare that with a goal of 120 as the top number. Will the rate of dementia for people in the lower-goal arm be lower than standard?"

Things that strain our brains

•Sleep deprivation
•Multitasking
•Stress
•Concussion
•Depression
•Some medications and sleep aids
•General anesthesia
•Failure to seek help if you notice difficulties such as loss of memory, inability to focus and make decisions, and a struggle to understand.

This list of eight comes from the Center for BrainHealth, at the University of Texas at Dallas. They are referenced in a story that Nancy Churnin wrote for The Dallas Morning News called "Human Brains Grow, Change and Can Heal Themselves."

Her article talks about plasticity and the benefits of brain physicals, (which cost $600.)