Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease: Personal Responsibility

The prevention of dementia, and particularly of Alzheimer’s disease, is a major challenge for researchers and clinicians. In this book, the mixture of evidence, observations and hypotheses in the current literature is categorized into avenues for possible preventive interventions, as suggested by the NIH State-of-the-Science Conference. The main categories are: antihypertensive medications; nutrition; cognitive engagement; volunteering and physical activity. There is, as yet, no conclusive evidence, but each category may hold promise for the prevention of dementia. The robust findings are as follows: cognitive engagement and regular physical activity may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease; the Mediterranean diet and consumption of omega-3 fatty acids deserves further elucidation; and the meticulous management of risk factors, and especially hypertension, is the infrastructure of Alzheimer’s disease prevention. Combating loneliness and volunteering both contribute to reducing the risk of dementia.