Education levels reduce the genetic risk of developing Alzheimer's
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In a recent study, led by researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard Medical School, the authors describe how genetics is only one factor in the risk equation for Alzheimer's disease, even for forms of the disease that have a significant genetic component. Their findings were published in Nature Communications Trusted Source.
Data from 675 people with the genetic mutation PSEN1 E280A, which predisposes them to early-onset Alzheimer's disease, was analyzed by researchers to assess the influence of genetics and educational attainment in cognitive decline.
Around the age of 49, people with this mutation often start exhibiting dementia symptoms.
The study team found that people with this mutation who also had the risk-increasing APOE e4 mutation saw a quicker beginning of cognitive deterioration.
Why educational attainment is crucial
These results suggest that educational level may have a significant role in cognitive resilience for familial forms of Alzheimer's disease, even with the additional risk from APOE e4, the most prominent genetic risk factor for non-familial Alzheimer's disease.
Without participating in this study, Dr. Sumeet Kumar, a geneticist and the creator of geneswellness.com, told MNT that this research "has provided pivotal insights into the complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors in Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer's Disease (ADAD)."
Dr. Kumar emphasized that it was crucial to recognize the study's limitations, which include its cross-sectional design and the lack of data for several factors. Furthermore, it's still unclear how much these findings apply to different forms of Alzheimer's.
Despite these limitations, he continued, the study "holds promise for future research to elucidate the biological mechanisms underpinning these observed trends and for the development of interventions specific to individual risk profiles."
According to Dr. Giordano, "the major implications of this study are that aspects of lifestyle can somewhat modify the genetic bases of physical expression of various traits."
"Specifically, it suggests that ongoing cognitive and behavioral challenges (such as those inherent to education, learning and absorbing new information, and engaging in new skills) can afford [the] beneficial opportunity to sustain cognitive capability. "Higher education is not accessible to everyone equally. Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Mass Eye and Ear, as well as other domestic and foreign collaborators, collaborated on the study.
Both experiments demonstrate the dynamic interaction of several factors. It is crucial to remember that not everyone has equal access to higher education, which makes it difficult to devise effective solutions. It takes coordinated efforts from many stakeholders, including government agencies, educational institutions, non-profits, and communities, to address issues of health and educational equity. However, the advantages seem obvious from a wealth and health viewpoint in addition to an educational perspective.
Dementia, a chronic neurological disorder that affects memory and thinking abilities, affects millions of individuals worldwide. Alzheimer's disease is the most frequent type of dementia.
While there are some therapies available to assist control the symptoms of dementia, there is presently no cure. While research is being conducted to learn more about dementia pathology and to find therapies, major research is also being conducted to study how lifestyle changes may improve dementia risk and cognition. Some of this research is looking into how cognitively stimulating activities, such as crossword puzzles and reading, affect dementia risk and cognition.
Everything we learn and understand is like a book on a shelf. The library expands in size as new books are added. But why does this important, you may wonder? "Well, building an information library in your brain creates a buffer for memory loss," she explained.
"When your library is extensive, even if many books are checked out, there will still be plenty of other books on the shelves, serving as alternatives and keeping the library functioning well," she noted. She stated that cognitive reserve is built up over time by education and life events, particularly those that are hard and require thought. In a recent study, published in NeurologyTrusted Source in 2022, researchers studied how early cognitive skills, education, and socioeconomic status affect adult cognitive skills.
How to Lower Your Risk of Dementia
"It is critical to emphasize that learning something new can improve your brain health even if you are already experiencing memory loss." "Learning something new will improve your memory, attention, and thinking abilities while also improving your overall quality of life," Dr. Gomes-Osman remarked.
She went on to add that new, intriguing experiences and seeing new things could help boost brain function."Our brains respond very well to novelty, so choosing something that is neither too easy nor too difficult is critical here," she said."Change the location of where you do your favorite activities." "Exploring new places can boost your positive outlook on life and improve your brain health," suggested Dr. Gomes-Osman.
Content Source:- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/do-reading-puzzles-and-similar-activities-really-stave-off-dementia#How-to-take-actionto-reduce-dementia-risk
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