When it comes to the risk of developing Alzheimer's or another type of dementia, researchers say that not maintaining your general health may contribute to development of these types of brain disorders."Our study suggests that rather than just paying attention to already known risk factors for dementia, such as diabetes or heart disease, keeping up with your general health may help reduce the risk for dementia," stated principal investigator Dr. Kenneth Rockwood, director of geriatric medicine research, in Dalhousie University.
Dr. Kenneth Rockwood also mentioned that an individual health issue can not raise the risk of dementia in those who are predisposed to the brain-destroying condition.
"We know, for example, that dentures on their own are not associated with an adverse outcome," Rockwood said Wednesday from Halifax. "It's just when they're in combination with a whole bunch of other things that are wrong. That state of having many things wrong is associated with adverse outcomes."
The research involved more than 7,000 people, who were assessed for Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. All of them were asked about 19 health problems (including arthritis, trouble hearing or seeing, denture fit, chest or skin problems, stomach or bladder troubles, broken bones) not previously reported to predict dementia.
"After 10 years, almost 3,000 had died, about 880 were cognitively healthy, while more than 600 had Alzheimer's disease or another type of dementia. The results unveiled that older people without health problems at the initial assessment had an 18% chance of developing dementia in 10 years, while the risk rose to 30% for those with eight health problems, and 40% among those with 12."Dr. Kenneth Rockwood explained that "The point is that anything that's bad for you is ultimately bad for your brain. And in someone so predisposed, the cumulative effect of that is likely to increase the dementia risk."
Source: The Canadian Press, 2011
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