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Brain Health – Evidence that Lifestyle Habits can improve Brain Health – APOe4 gene in women appears to more often convert mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Brain health is determined by how the organ is functioning; how much

• blood flow
• nutrients and
• oxygen it is getting; and
• how it is cleaning and filtering things like harmful proteins – high amyloid burden is decreasing in importance by climbing steps during excercise – proteins that increase the risk for Alzheimer’s can start to deposit in the brain 15-20 years before the onset of symptoms

Factors in boosting brain health

• Exercise increases blood flow to the brain and increases the size of the anterior hippocampus, leading to improvements in spatial memory vs reduction in size and atrophy. Healthy lifestyle habits can reduce or negate risk — even in the presence of genetic predisposition
• Diet – Mediterranean, heart-healthy diet can minimize adverse effects on memory and decrease the incidence of Alzheimer’s and dementia. It boost memory and cognition.
• Exercise and diet increase release of endorphins which can stimulate cognitive functioning and mood improvements
• Brain Derived Nerve Growth Factor (BDNF) — which can help memory, focus and attention — may increase as a result of physical activity.
• Sleep and Mood are interconnected

Genetic Factors affecting Brain Health

• ApoE4 gene carriers have an increased risk.
• One copy of the gene can increase risk by 2-4 times the risk of the general population, and
• Two copies of the gene may increase risk up to 10 times that of the general population. But that is risk, not cause.

Age

• People over age 65, 1-2% have Alzheimer’s disease.
• Above 85 years old, the prevalence is 30-50%.

Sex

• Women have a higher risk of Alzheimer’s than do men.
• Could this just be because women live longer than men?
• Women may have more physiological risks than men.
• For example, the APOe4 gene in women appears to more often convert mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s.

Variability by Ethnicity and Race

• Alzheimer’s disease within specific ethnic groups and races – has different disease profiles, more studies with diversity are needed.

Highest risk for developing Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases

• Genetic predisposition,
• Low education,
• High age and
• Vascular risk factors

Minimizing Risk and induce Slower Progression – We can’t change age and we can’t change genetics. The modifiable risk factors are:

• exercise,
• sleep,
• diet, and
• cognitive stimulation

SOURCE

https://hip.stanford.edu/calendar-news/news/boosting-brain-health/