Environmental/Lifestyle Factors
Research also suggests that a host
of factors beyond basic genetics may
play a role in the development and
course of Alzheimer’s disease. There
is a great deal of interest, for example,
in associations between cognitive
decline and vascular and metabolic
conditions such as heart disease,
stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes,
and obesity. Understanding these
relationships and testing them in
clinical trials will help us understand
whether reducing risk factors for
these conditions may help with
Alzheimer’s as well.
Further, a nutritious diet, physical
activity, social engagement, and mentally
stimulating pursuits can all help
people stay healthy as they age. New
research suggests the possibility that
these and other factors also might help
to reduce the risk of cognitive decline
and Alzheimer’s disease. Clinical trials
of specific interventions are underway
to test some of these possibilities