Preventing Dementia
amyloid protein plaques in the brain are strongly related Alzheimer's disease
some people with amyloid plaque don’t develop Alzheimers
why? genes, healthy life, a fulfilling life.
suggestions
keep good cardiovascular health: high (>60) pulse pressure(systolic, top number in a blood pressure reading minus diastolic, bottom number) is associated with cognitive deterioration.
have cognitive reserve = “ your brain's ability to improvise and find alternate ways of getting a job done. Just like a powerful car that enables you to engage another gear and suddenly accelerate to avoid an obstacle, your brain can change the way it operates and thus make added resourses available to cope with challenges. Cognitive reserve is developed by a lifetime of education and curiosity to help your brain better cope with any failures or declines it faces”
pick your genes well: just kidding but if you have the APOE2 gene mutation (super rare mutation) you are 6 times less likely to develop amyloid plaques that are associated to Alzheimer
never smoked: Those who have never smoked were over 10 times more likely to keep their thinking skills, even with plaques.
exercise
keep working: having a paying job in your 70s was protective against later memory decline.
work on your spirit soul karma resilience: life satisfaction is protective
getting as much education as possible in early life; taking part in mentally stimulating activities, such as reading
avoiding diabetes, stress, depression, head trauma and high blood pressure in midlife.
Nine other suggestions had less evidence to support them. They included getting regular exercise and good quality sleep, maintaining a healthy body weight and good heart health in later life, not smoking and getting vitamin C in the diet.
Two interventions were not recommended -- estrogen replacement therapy and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors,
.SOURCE: https://n.neurology.org/content/early/2020/07/22/WNL.0000000000010239, https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/what-is-cognitive-reserve