Metabolic Syndrome and Memory Loss

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
________________________________________________

While better education and higher awareness about Alzheimer's disease are key themes in this blog, we also emphasize the many other medical conditions that are also associated with memory loss.  Among those conditions is Metabolic Syndrome.

As per a recent article posted on WebMD, Metabolic syndrome is a common condition characterized by a cluster of symptoms that can include high blood pressure, too much weight around the waist, elevated blood sugar levels, low levels of HDL “good” cholesterol, and high levels of tryglycerides, a type of unhealthy fat found in the blood.

According to a study published yesterday in Neurology, subjects with metabolic syndrome, are more prone to cognitive decline in their later years.  While this group was previously known to have higher risk for heart disease, it is now more clear that they face an increased cognitive risk as well.

Given a large body of evidence showing that active management of blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body fat can reduce the risk of heart disease, it is reasonable to speculate that such practices might also reduce the risk of cognitive decline.  Certainly, it couldn't hurt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A better understanding and more awareness of Alzheimer's related issues can impact personal health decisions and generate significant impact across a population of aging individuals. Please use the share buttons below to spread this educational message as widely as possible.

Federal Funding for Alzheimer's

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
________________________________________________

This graphic depicts the federal commitment to Alzheimer's research compared to the commitment we make to other diseases.  All are worthy causes and deserve strong funding support.  However, the relatively small investment in Alzheimer's disease indicates how slow we have been to recognize the severity of the looming epidemic.

We recently posted that the National Alzheimer's Prevention Act was passed into law and we pointed out in that post that the law had no funding attached.  Please follow this blog, and encourage your friends to do so as well, and we will keep you informed about how to lend your voice to support an increase in funding for Alzheimer's research.

You should follow Brain Today on twitter here

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A better understanding and more awareness of Alzheimer's related issues can impact personal health decisions and generate significant impact across a population of aging individuals. Please use the share button below to spread this educational message as widely as possible.

Physical Exercise Boosts Brain Health

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
________________________________________________

We have discussed similar evidence in many earlier posts, but when new studies garner lots of press, we like to weigh in and share our perspective.  Especially on research that suggests new insights into how and why physical exercise benefits the brain.

In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, walking was once again shown to improve brain health, this time as demonstrated by hippocampul volume.  The hippocampus is a small region in the brain where short-term memory is processed.  It is known to shrink as we age and it's relative size has been shown to correlate with memory capacity.

In this study, 120 sedentary adults between the ages of 55 and 80 were divided into two groups.  One group began a regimen of regular walking while the other began a regimen of stretching and toning. After one year, the group that walked showed an average increase in hippocampul volume of about 2% whereas the other group, who did not participate in aerobic exercise, showed an average decrease in hippocampul volume of about 1.5%.

What is most notable in this study is that the walking regimen was fairly minimal.  The expansion of the hippocampus and a measured improvement in spatial memory were obtained by walking for just 40 minutes per day, three days per week.

Given the potential benefits for such a minimal effort, it seems like we should all consider embracing the habit of a short, regular walk.

You should follow Brain Today on twitter here

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A better understanding and more awareness of Alzheimer's related issues can impact personal health decisions and generate significant impact across a population of aging individuals. Please use the share button below to spread this educational message as widely as possible.