Myths And Facts About Alzheimer's Disease

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What Is Alzheimer's?Text Size controlsNormal font sizeMedium font sizeLarge font size TUESDAY, Nov. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Men who have the Alzheimer's disease-linked ApoE4 gene variant may have an increased risk for brain bleeds, a new study suggests. Alzheimer first identified the disease in 1906. He described the two hallmarks of the disease: "plaques," which are numerous tiny, dense deposits scattered throughout the brain that become toxic to brain cells at excessive levels, and "tangles," which interfere with vital processes, eventually choking off the living cells. When brain cells degenerate and die, …show more content…
About dementia
14.
15. What is dementia?
16. Alzheimer's disease
17. 10 warning signs
18. Risk factors
19. Myths and realities about Alzheimer's disease
20. Stages of Alzheimer's disease
21. About the brain
22. Common Questions
23. Other dementias
24. Diagnosis
25. Treatment options
26. Brain health
27. Print Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on gmailShare on more
28. Risk factors
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30. How can we reduce the risk?
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32. A healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. It has been estimated that up to half the cases of Alzheimer’s disease worldwide may be the result of seven key modifiable risk factors: diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, depression, cognitive inactivity or low education, and physical inactivity.
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34. What can I do to maintain or improve my brain health?
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36. • Be physically active
37. • Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption
38. • Track your numbers: keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and weight within recommended ranges
39. • Stay connected socially and interact regularly with others
40. • Make healthy food choices, eat a well-balanced and healthy diet rich in cereals, fish, legumes and
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• Reduce stress
42. • Challenge your brain by trying something new, playing games or learning a new language
43. • Protect your head by wearing a helmet when you engage in sporting activities
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45. For more information, visit our Brain health section.
46. Ongoing research on risk factors
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48. Risk factors are characteristics of the person, lifestyle, environment, and genetic background that contribute to the likelihood of getting a disease. Risk factors on their own are not causes of a disease. Risk factors represent an increased chance, but not a certainty, that Alzheimer’s disease will develop. Similarly, having little or no exposure to known risk factors does not necessarily protect a person from developing the disease.
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50. Some risk factors are modifiable, which means they can be changed (e.g., smoking, high blood pressure); other risk factors are non-modifiable, which means they cannot be changed (e.g., age, genetic makeup).
51. Modifiable risk factors
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53. Risk factors for both Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular diseases