Worldwide Cost Estimate for Alzheimer's and Dementia Is US$315...(ds to be directed towards the developmen...),Health

Prince adds, "Later this year, ADI will launch the first World Alzheimer Report alerting governments, policymakers and donors of the urgent need to give priority to these actions."

Can Lifestyle Prevent Alzheimer's?

Henry Brodaty, MD, DSc, Professor of Age Care Mental Health and Director of the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre at the University of New South Wales, Australia, will present a plenary talk on "Can lifestyle prevent Alzheimer's disease?" on Friday morning, March 27, 2009. He will directly address whether we can really "eat, drink, exercise, socialize and think our way out of Alzheimer's."

In recent years, there has been a great deal of conflicting information in this area. Research studies have reported protective effects against Alzheimer's and dementia for education; exercise; mental activities; foods and fluids rich in antioxidants and polyphenols such as fruit or vegetable juice, wine, green tea, and fish; and long-term use of certain medications, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-cholesterol drugs and hormone replacement therapy.

On the other hand, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, obesity, high fat diets, high cholesterol, head injury, loneliness, lack of education, lack of exercise, depression, low birth weight for gestational age, and smaller head circumference have been found to be risk factors for Alzheimer's and dementia.

Brodaty's bottom line, "There is currently no absolute prevention against Alzheimer's. Until reports are confirmed by several groups around the world, consumers should be wary of media hyperbole. And, even where a risk or protective factor is significant in a large population study, this may only cha
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