- The number of people living with Alzheimer's disease worldwide is expected to reach 153 million by 2050.
- Although there is still no known definitive way to prevent this disease, researchers do know that health and lifestyle modifications can help reduce the risk.
- Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have found that personalized health and lifestyle changes may slow and even prevent memory loss in people at high risk for Alzheimer's disease. .
Researchers estimate the number of people living with Alzheimer's disease worldwide.
Because the exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is still unknown, there is currently no definitive way to prevent Alzheimer's disease.
However, previous research has shown that certain healthy
A new study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) adds to this knowledge by showing that personalized health and lifestyle changes can slow and even prevent it.
This study was recently published in the journal
“This study's first author and principal investigator is Dr. Kristin Yaffe, vice chair and professor in the Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco. Today's medical news They believe that although clinicians know about the lifestyle risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, it is not clear whether reducing those risk factors will lead to improved cognition, so individualized health and lifestyle decided to study the effectiveness of this approach.
“Getting people to change their health and behavior is difficult,” Dr. Yaffe continued. “Our hypothesis is that people's individual risk factors will be assessed (not one size fits all) and individuals will be able to choose their own goals and ways to improve their risk factors (e.g. sleep, physical activity, social engagement). , a personalized approach that could reduce risk and improve cognitive function.”
“No one had tried this approach before, but we now know that even if this happens during COVID-19, it can improve risk factors and cognition,” she added. Ta. “Furthermore, only a handful of trials have shown cognitive benefits from interventions that address these health and lifestyle factors.”
While general health and lifestyle changes can certainly help, individuals with less motivation to make these adjustments may benefit from an individualized plan.
Personalized health and lifestyle modification plans empower individuals to take control of their health by specifying areas for change.
Also, because everyone is different, a personalized approach allows medical advisors to tailor recommendations to specific people rather than everyone.
Research published in June 2021 shows people are receiving personalized nutritional advice
Another study published in June 2021 found that people who followed a personalized nutrition plan experienced improved lifestyle habits;
And a study published in October 2019 found that personalized lifestyle advice for older adults helped improve resilience and motivation compared to older adults who received general lifestyle advice. , was found to help reduce body fat percentage and hip circumference.
For the study, Dr. Yaffe and her team recruited 172 study participants between the ages of 70 and 89. All participants had at least two of eight dementia risk factors at the start of the two-year study.
These risk factors include:
- Lack of exercise
- uncontrolled high blood pressure
- uncontrolled diabetes
- Lack of sleep
- Prescription drug use is associated with risk of cognitive decline
- Severe depressive symptoms
- social isolation
- Must be a current smoker.
Half of the participants received individual coaching from a nurse or health coach and were able to select specific risk factors for which they needed help.
These participants received coaching sessions every few months to review their goals. During the pandemic, meetings switched from in-person to phone calls.
The other half of the study participants received general educational materials about dementia risk reduction by mail every three months.
After two years, researchers found that participants who received personalized coaching experienced modest improvements on cognitive tests, an improvement of 74% compared to the non-personalized group. .
Furthermore, the personalized coaching group had a 145% improvement in risk factors and an 8% increase in quality of life compared to the non-personalized group.
“We were excited to see such a large difference within the group,” Dr. Yaffe said. “This means that if we can reduce these modifiable risk factors with this individualized approach, we can improve cognition and prevent functional decline, and therefore most likely prevent Alzheimer's disease. We provide clear evidence that.”
MNT We also spoke about the study with Chanel Cassis Elhelou, Ph.D., a research fellow in geriatric psychology and neuropsychology in the Brain Wellness and Lifestyle Program at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California.
Dr. Elhelou, who was not involved in the study, suggests that personalized health and lifestyle interventions can positively impact cognitive function in older adults at high risk for Alzheimer's disease. He said he found these findings promising and encouraging. Opening new avenues for non-pharmacological approaches.
“These findings may influence the way healthcare professionals discuss health and lifestyle interventions with patients at high risk for Alzheimer's disease by choosing a personalized approach rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. there is. Additionally, healthcare providers may be more likely to refer patients to health coaches. [who] Not only can we accommodate your specific needs and preferences, but we can also help motivate you to adhere to lifestyle changes. ”
– Dr. Chanel Cassis Elhelou
Dr. Elhelou said he would like future research on this topic to continue investigating the effectiveness of additional non-pharmacological approaches, such as cognitive training and stress management.
“Additionally, larger-scale and longer-term It would be valuable to conduct further research,” she added.
