Alzheimer’s Research Results
Alzheimer's is a disease caused by several factors instead of just one. The factors range from inherited vulnerability to the illness, to reduced circulation of blood and infection. It’s impossible to establish and analyze every factor that causes Alzheimer’s or contributes to it, but here are the most important ones:
• Age. It’s very rare that people younger than 40 years get affected. The usual age at which the disease is acquired is 65-85 years old. With years, the probability of developing the symptoms of Alzheimer's increases. While it’s 5% for people aged 65-74, the number jumps up to 50% for 85 +.plus.
• Sex. According to the results of Alzheimer’s research, females are more likely to get this disease, partly because of the higher life expectancy.
• Hereditary predisposition. You are more likely to acquire Alzheimer's if one of your parents or siblings had it. Although the mechanisms of passing on this disease are still not thoroughly studied, some mutations that have been discovered contribute to the risk. There are currently three types of mutations in the genes that may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s memory impairment in the family. Another gene (APOE) contributes to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
• Life style. As sSurprising as it is, the factors that increase the risk of a heart disease (high cholesterol, high blood pressure) can also contribute to the probability of Alzheimer’s. Diabetes that is not taken care of is also a risk factor. However, keeping fit is not the only thing you should be concerned about: mental health also matters. If you continue to be mentally active after retiring (by constantly challenging and exercising your mind), the probability of developing Alzheimer’s decreases significantly.
• The level of education. An Alzheimer’s research has provided very interesting data: there is the a connection between your level of education and the probability of developing Alzheimer’s. The more you study and learn, the more exercise your brain receives. However, one question remains: is it that people with less a lower level of education run a bigger risk of acquiring Alzheimer’s, or is it just that the disease ist so difficult to find in people used to exercising their mind on a regular basis or those with higher education?
• Exposure to toxicity. There is a theory that certain chemical substances and metals are to be blamed for Alzheimer’s. Scientists used to think aluminum was the risk factor, as in many patients with Alzheimer’s brain scans showed traces of this metal. However, this theory has been soon discarded as no direct association connection was found. Currently, there is no proof some chemical or metal can seriously increase the risk of Alzheimer’s memory impairment.
• Head injuries. A serious trauma, such as concussion, could be one of the reasons, as several ex-boxers developed dementia after being injured and losing consciousness. However, while some scientific reports state a definite connection, others say the opposite.
• HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy). It’s not absolutely clear whether this can play a significant role in developing dementia and Alzheimer’s, in particular. In the 80s and 90s, it was recognized that women using estrogen supplements after menopause had a lower risk of developing dementia. Later, Women's Health Initiative Memory Study showed the risk of dementia actually increased if women continued taking estrogen supplements after they were 65 years old. Therefore, Iit’s still not known whether estrogen in any way affects the risk of acquiring dementia.
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