I missed this the other day on FuturePundit: Myelin Cholesterol and Iron Build-Up Leads To Alzheimer's.
As the brain continues to develop in adulthood and as myelin is produced in greater and greater quantities, cholesterol levels in the brain grow and eventually promote the production of a toxic protein that attacks the brain. The protein attacks myelin, disrupts message transfer through the axons and eventually leads to the brain/mind-destroying plaques and tangles visible years later in the cortex of Alzheimer's patients.
The good news:
Preventive therapies worth investigating include cholesterol- and iron-lowering medications, anti-inflammatory medications, diet and exercise programs and possibly hormone replacement therapy designed to prevent menopause rather than simply ease the symptoms. In addition, education or other activities designed to keep the mind active may stimulate the production of myelin. Finally, there may be ways to address genetic and environmental factors that accelerate the degeneration process.
The not-so-great news:
This new model of brain development and degeneration suggests that the best time to address the inevitability of myelin breakdown is when it begins, in middle age. By the time the effects of Alzheimer's disease become apparent in a patient's 60s, 70s or 80s, it may be too late to reverse the course of the disease.
So let's get on it, then, shall we? What is it they in the war blogs?
Faster, please.
Posted by Phil at January 1, 2004 09:16 AM | TrackBackI have been reading a lot about Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the dearth of information on prevention. I believe, although I have no proof, that structured exercises of the brain/mind may help to reduce the risk of AD. This is analagous to the claims that physical exercise may help reduce the risk of heart disease. Of course, proper diet applies to the health of both the heart and brain.
I offer seniors structured workshops to exercise their brains by using instruments developed by Prof. Reuven Feuerstein, (www.icelp.org). Some researchers believe that AD can start up to 7 years before it is diagnosed.One major study has shown that cognitive exercises may help to bulk up the brain and provide more resistance to this terrible disease. Some of my students have asked me (and I have no answer): Do cognitive function workshops I offer help to improve memory? I can find no research that links cognitive training to memory improvement.
The other question is: Do memory exercises themselves provide any protection against AD? If yes, what kind of exercises are the most beneficial?
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