Category: Dementia

The number of people diagnosed with dementia is expected to almost triple over the next three decades.

Magnesium-rich foods like nuts and spinach may help reduce the risk of dementia, research finds.

People with higher intakes of magnesium had lower levels of brain shrinkage and aging.

The study included over 6,000 people in the UK who completed a survey of their food intake over 16 months.

Those who ate more magnesium-rich foods — including seeds and wholegrains, leafy green vegetables and legumes — had a younger brain age, the researchers found.

Ms Khawlah Alateeq, the study’s first author, said:

“Our study shows a 41 percent increase in magnesium intake could lead to less age-related brain shrinkage, which is associated with better cognitive function and lower risk or delayed onset of dementia in later life.

This research highlights the potential benefits of a diet high in magnesium and the role it plays in promoting good brain health.”

Increasing magnesium intake from an average of 350 milligrams per day to 550 milligrams was linked to a reduction in brain age of one year at age 55.

Foods that are magnesium-rich include:

• peanuts
• cashews
• chia seeds
• black beans
• potatoes
• brown rice
• yogurt
• oatmeal
• milk

Dr Erin Walsh, study co-author, said:

“Since there is no cure for dementia and the development of pharmacological treatments have been unsuccessful for the past 30 years, it’s been suggested that greater attention should be directed towards prevention.

Our research could inform the development of public health interventions aimed at promoting healthy brain aging through dietary strategies.”

The number of people diagnosed with dementia is expected to almost triple over the next three decades — partly due to an aging population, as well as unhealthy lifestyles.

Ms Alateeq said:

“The study shows higher dietary magnesium intake may contribute to neuroprotection earlier in the aging process and preventative effects may begin in our 40s or even earlier.

This means people of all ages should be paying closer attention to their magnesium intake.

We also found the neuroprotective effects of more dietary magnesium appears to benefit women more than men and more so in post-menopausal than pre-menopausal women, although this may be due to the anti-inflammatory effect of magnesium.”

Note that the study did not test the effects of magnesium supplements, rather it examined how much magnesium people were getting from the foods they were already eating.

Getting the right micronutrients from natural foods is usually better than supplementation.

Related

• The MIND diet: the 10 brain healthy food groups.
• Eating more flavonoid-rich foods reduces dementia risk by up to four times.
• The green Mediterranean diet slows down age-related brain atrophy.
• Eating a more diverse diet is linked to a lower risk of developing dementia.

The study was published in the European Journal of Nutrition (Alateeq et al., 2023).

The results are based on a review of over 70 different studies.

Vitamin D probably does not help protect people from dementia or other brain-related disorders, research finds.

While vitamin D is essential for the body, there is no solid clinical evidence that it benefits brain health.

Ms Krystal Iacopetta, the study’s first author, said:

“Our work counters an emerging belief held in some quarters suggesting that higher levels of vitamin D can impact positively on brain health.”

The results are based on a review of over 70 different studies.

There was no evidence vitamin D protected against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or other brain diseases.

Ms Iacopetta said:

“Past studies had found that patients with a neurodegenerative disease tended to have lower levels of vitamin D compared to healthy members of the population.

This led to the hypothesis that increasing vitamin D levels, either through more UV and sun exposure or by taking vitamin D supplements, could potentially have a positive impact.

A widely held community belief is that these supplements could reduce the risk of developing brain-related disorders or limit their progression.

The results of our in-depth review and an analysis of all the scientific literature however, indicates that this is not the case and that there is no convincing evidence supporting vitamin D as a protective agent for the brain.”

However, there may be evidence that sunlight is good for the brain.

Professor Mark Hutchinson, study co-author, explained:

“We have presented critical evidence that UV light may impact molecular processes in the brain in a manner that has absolutely nothing to do with vitamin D.

It may be that sensible and safe sun exposure is good for the brain and that there are new and exciting factors at play that we have yet to identify and measure.

Unfortunately however, it appears as if vitamin D, although essential for healthy living, is not going to be the miracle ‘sunshine tablet’ solution for brain-disorders that some were actively hoping for.”

The study was published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience (Iacopetta et al., 2018).

This symptom of dementia is often overlooked, but very damaging.

Apathy is the most forgotten symptom of dementia and has a greater impact than memory loss, research concludes.

Nearly half of all people with dementia are apathetic: being highly indifferent, passive, unconcerned and lacking in enthusiasm.

People who are apathetic tend to feel little motivation, passion or excitement in life.

Apathy is linked to worse clinical symptoms and, naturally, is very distressing for families.

Apathy is distinct from depression, the researchers found, with some people with dementia not necessarily feeling down.

Apathy tends to be ignored as it is not a disruptive state, said Mr Miguel Vasconcelos Da Silva, study co-author:

“Apathy is an under-researched and often ignored symptom of dementia.

It can be overlooked because people with apathy seem less disruptive and less engaging, but it has a huge impact on the quality of life of people living with dementia, and their families.

Where people withdraw from activities, it can accelerate cognitive decline and we know that there are higher mortality rates in people with apathy.

It’s now time this symptom was recognised and prioritised in research and understanding.”

The conclusions come from an analysis of 4,320 people with Alzheimer’s disease included in 20 separate studies.

The results showed that 45 percent were apathetic at first, while 20 percent remained that way over time.

Professor Clive Ballard, study co-author, said:

“Apathy is the forgotten symptom of dementia, yet it can have devastating consequences.

Our research shows just how common apathy is in people with dementia, and we now need to understand it better so we can find effective new treatments.

Our WHELD study to improve care home staff training through personalised care and social interaction included an exercise programme that improved apathy, so we know we can make a difference.

This is a real opportunity for interventions that could significantly benefit thousands of people with dementia. “

The study was presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Los Angeles (Da Silva, 2019).

It is thought that the vitamin helps clear the brain of the characteristic tangles of proteins that form in dementia.

Taking vitamin D supplement could decrease dementia risk, a large study suggests.

People who took vitamin D supplements lived for longer without developing dementia and overall had a 40 percent lower risk of developing the disease.

Adequate vitamin D levels have been repeatedly linked to lower dementia risk by research (1, 2, 3, 4).

One study has even suggested that adequate levels of vitamin D could prevent almost one-in-five cases of dementia (Navale et al., 2022).

However, the link remains somewhat controversial, with other studies finding no connection (also: Owusu et al., 2018).

Professor Zahinoor Ismail, the study’s first author, acknowledged the contradictory findings from past studies:

“We know that vitamin D has some effects in the brain that could have implications for reducing dementia, however so far, research has yielded conflicting results.

Our findings give key insights into groups who might be specifically targeted for vitamin D supplementation.

Overall, we found evidence to suggest that earlier supplementation might be particularly beneficial, before the onset of cognitive decline.”

Vitamin D and dementia

For this study, data from over 12,000 participants in the US National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center was analysed.

Just over one-third were taking vitamin D supplements.

The results showed that vitamin D supplementation was associated with a reduced dementia risk in all groups.

However, the connection was stronger in women and people who had no pre-existing cognitive deficits, such as mild cognitive impairment.

Similarly, carriers of the APOEe4 gene appeared to benefit more from vitamin D supplementation.

The APOEe4 gene significantly increases the risk of developing dementia.

It is thought that vitamin D helps to clear the brain of the characteristic tangles of proteins that form, known as amyloid and tau.

Dr Byron Creese, study co-author, said:

“Preventing dementia or even delaying its onset is vitally important given the growing numbers of people affected.

The link with vitamin D in this study suggests that taking vitamin D supplements may be beneficial in preventing or delaying dementia, but we now need clinical trials to confirm whether this is really the case.

The ongoing VitaMIND study at the University of Exeter is exploring this issue further by randomly assigning participants to either take vitamin D or placebo and examining changes in memory and thinking tests over time.”

Despite these findings, it is not recommended to take high levels of vitamin D as a preventative measure.

Recommended doses are 600 IU per day for people under 70 and 800 IU for those over 70.

The study was published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring (Ghahremani et al., 2023).

This component of the Mediterranean diet protects memory.

Extra-virgin olive oil helps to protect the brain from cognitive decline, research finds.

The oil reduces the formation of protein in the brain that is linked to Alzheimer’s.

The conclusions come from a study of mice, some of whom were fed a diet enriched with extra-virgin olive oil.

Professor Domenico Praticò, who led the study, said:

“We found that olive oil reduces brain inflammation but most importantly activates a process known as autophagy.

Brain cells from mice fed diets enriched with extra-virgin olive oil had higher levels of autophagy and reduced levels of amyloid plaques and phosphorylated tau.”

Autophagy is the natural process by which cells get rid of material that is not required.

The Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet — which contains extra-virgin olive oil — has been repeatedly linked to health benefits.

Some think, though, that it is the consistent use of extra-virgin olive oil in these diets that is mostly responsible for the benefits.

Professor Praticò said:

“The thinking is that extra-virgin olive oil is better than fruits and vegetables alone, and as a monounsaturated vegetable fat it is healthier than saturated animal fats.”

Professor Praticò said:

“This is an exciting finding for us.

Thanks to the autophagy activation, memory and synaptic integrity were preserved, and the pathological effects in animals otherwise destined to develop Alzheimer’s disease were significantly reduced.

This is a very important discovery, since we suspect that a reduction in autophagy marks the beginning of Alzheimer’s disease.”

The researchers are now moving on to look at the effects of extra-virgin olive oil after Alzheimer’s has already set in.

Professor Praticò explained:

“Usually when a patient sees a doctor for suspected symptoms of dementia, the disease is already present.

We want to know whether olive oil added at a later time point in the diet can stop or reverse the disease.”

The study was published in the journal Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology (Lauretti et al., 2017).