Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia characterized by a loss of memory, cognitive ability and behaviour.  There is no cure for this degenerative brain disease and there is no known cause.  However, research into Alzheimer’s has shown there are factors that increase a person’s risk at being diagnosed with the disease.

Some of the risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s include age, family history and genetics.  Other risk factors associated with lifestyle have also been linked to Alzheimer’s and without a cure it is imperative people take preventative measures to reduce the risk of being diagnosed with the disease.

Recent studies have linked an increase risk of Alzheimer’s with diabetes.  People with high blood sugar have been shown to be twice as likely to develop the disease as those with normal glucose levels.  Those people treated with insulin may develop an insulin resistance that can lead to complications associated with diabetes.  This may harm the brain cells directly or the blood vessels carrying oxygen rich and nutrient rich blood to the brain.

Keeping a close eye on diet to control blood sugar may ultimately reduce the risk associated with Alzheimer’s.

Other research has also shown that lack of physical activity may increase the risk associated with Alzheimer’s and other diseases.

Regular physical activity and exercise not only improves your heart but your brain.  Having an increased flow of blood and oxygen has been shown to benefit brain cells, thus reducing the risks associated with Alzheimer’s.

Researchers inJapanhave also shown a connection between high cholesterol and Alzheimer’s.  People suffering from high cholesterol were more likely to have brain plaques when compared to people with normal or lower cholesterol levels.

Having your cholesterol checked regularly and controlling its level helps maintain the health of your heart and blood vessels reduces blood pressure and minimizes risk associated with Alzheimer’s.

While the exact cause of this brain disease is not fully understood, continued research has shown making changes to lifestyle and taking certain preventative measures associated with healthier living can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s.

While Alzheimer’s may start at any age, the most common form of the disease starts after a person reaches 65 years old and continues to increase in frequency as people age.

With much effort put into identifying which genes may be relevant to the development of Alzheimer’s up until this point there was only one gene previously identified.

While we all have these genes, some individuals have specific variations that lead to the development of Alzheimer’s.

The researchers have identified through a complex statistical model, the relevance of these genes and which variations are important.  Having these genetic variations does not mean a person will develop the brain disease but they do affect the chances of getting Alzheimer’s.

Certain genes are causing Alzheimer’s disease in a dominant way and can lead to multiple generations being affected.  These new genes increase the susceptibility to developing Alzheimer’s but there is no certainty.  It simply signifies an increased risk for each person.

The discovery of these new genes for Alzheimer’s does not mean there is a way to diagnose the brain disorder.  The number of genetic combinations and factors that may come into play makes using them as a diagnostic tool for Alzheimer’s disease very premature.

It is hoped the discovery of these new Alzheimer’s genes will lead to a better understanding of the cellular pathways that lead to the disease.

Using this understanding, it is hoped potential Alzheimer’s treatments and diagnosis may be developed.

This sounds pretty routine and not very news worthy.  However, these two healthcare giants want to determine who is at risk for Alzheimer’s disease before they begin to exhibit any symptoms of the brain disease.

In announcing their collaborative efforts, GE Healthcare and Johnson & Johnson are hoping to shed some light on Alzheimer’s and identify who is at risk for developing Alzheimer’s Disease.  It is hoped this collaboration will identify a biosignature which is essential a collection of biomarkers, that will show which people are at risk of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Physicians would be able to make more informed decisions, direct patient care and determine a course of treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease well before patients exhibit symptoms.

Both Johnson & Johnson and GE Healthcare are expected to combine efforts in data integration, informatics, genomics and imaging in this collaborative effort to determine who is at risk for Alzheimer’s Disease.

In making such an announcement, these companies are signalling a new emphasis on a disease that is projected to have major impacts as society ages.  Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease could allow for better treatments or perhaps early intervention, as well as providing support for monitoring the progression of Alzheimer’s.

The identification of an Alzheimer’s biosignature would not only determine who is at risk for Alzheimer’s, but will perhaps pave the road for new drugs and treatments for the brain disease.

Alzheimer’s Disease affects millions worldwide and according to Alzheimer’s Disease International, approximately 35.6 million people live with dementia, a major symptom of Alzheimer’s Disease.  This number is expected to double by 2030 and rise to over 115 million by 2050.

Such numbers are staggering when we consider the implications that Alzheimer’s Disease has on social programs, healthcare programs and individuals themselves.

It is expected this collaborative effort to determine who is at risk for Alzheimer’s Disease will spark new efforts in international Alzheimer’s Research for all companies in this area, not only Johnson & Johnson and GE Healthcare.

Recent Alzheimer’s research was dealt several blows after several newly developed drugs for Alzheimer’s were determined ineffective and had adverse affects on Alzheimer’s patients.

Researchers developed a study examining previously published articles examining things such as quality of journal, time of publication and tobacco industry affiliation of the authors.  The research team at UCF examined 43 published studies from 1984 to 2007.

Study authors with tobacco industry affiliation indicated that smoking provided protection against Alzheimer’s disease.  Yet in studies without tobacco industry affiliation, smoking was shown to pose a significant risk to developing Alzheimer’s disease.  In fact, the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease nearly doubled.

In studies where authors had an industry affiliation, the risk of developing Alzheimer’s was not significant.  In fact, these studies indicated smoking protected against the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

When examining all studies, the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease cause by smoking was shown to be statistically insignificant.

The study indicates that Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease are made worse by excess copper and iron.  The study shows that people with higher intake of copper lose their brain function about 3 times the normal rate, especially if their diet is comprised of high fat intake.

The researchers also recommended that people over 50-years of age stop taking vitamin and minerals that contain copper and iron, and reduce their meat consumption, as well as reduce their intake of water served through copper pipes.

The study author conducted a series of studies looking into the association of copper and iron with diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

While the cause of Alzheimer’s is not known, Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a build-up of proteins in the brain.  This build up of protein in Alzheimer’s patients can be described as either brain plaques or tangles.

Brain plaques are characterized by deposits of a protein beta-amyloid.  This protein generally accumulates in the spaces between nerve cells and is thought to disrupt signals in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.  Tangles are deposits of the protein tau.  This protein tends to accumulate inside the nerve cells.

Recent studies have shown that brain plaques in healthy people increases their risk to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists are hoping that by studying both brain plaques and tangles they will develop an understanding into the cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

While it has been shown that most people develop brain plaques and tangles as they age, people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease develop more.  It is still unknown as to why some people develop more brain plaques and tangles than those who do not develop Alzheimer’s disease.  It is thought that there may be several risk factors that contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

While there is no known cause of Alzheimer’s disease, age is the number one risk factor associated with the development of Alzheimer’s.  One in eight people over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s disease and this increases to one out of every two people over the age of 85.  In fact, it has been shown that the probability of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease almost doubles every five years of age after 65.

Another important factor contributing to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease is based in genetics.  While it is not known if there is a genetic cause to Alzheimer’s disease, people who have parents and siblings that develop Alzheimer’s are approximately three times as likely to develop the brain disease than those families with now history of Alzheimer’s.

Scientists have shown there are two genes associated with Alzheimer’s disease.  If a person has the “risk gene”, the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease is increased but not guaranteed.  If a person inherits the “deterministic gene”, a much rarer occurence, the person will develop Alzheimer’s disease.

The existence of these two genes form the basis of more research into the cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease developed in 25 percent of patients with the lowest levels of leptin, compared to 6 percent in study participants with the highest levels of the appetite hormone.  These findings build on previous studies showing that Alzheimer’s disease risk increased in people who were overweight and obese.

In conducting this study on the effects of leptin on Alzheimer’s disease risk, Dr. Sudha Seshadri and her colleagues gave regular brain scans to 198 volunteers with an average age of 79.  During the follow-up years, 111 patients developed dementia, including 89 who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

It was evident in the study that leptin levels were also associated with a greater decrease in total brain size which may have attributed to the increased Alzheimer’s disease risk.

The study authors concluded “If our findings our confirmed by others, leptin levels in older adults may serve as one of several possible bio markers for healthy brain aging and, more importantly, may open new pathways for possible preventive and therapeutic intervention.”

This research may lead to better understanding on the risks associated with Alzheimer’s disease and provide insight into the prevention of Alzheimer’s and related dementias.

The formation of amyloid brain plaques have long been associated with Alzheimer’s disease.  Researchers have speculated that the formation of such brain plaques was associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.  However, this theory was challenged by the existence of brain plaques in people with no signs of mental impairment or Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have shown that the existence of brain plaques is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease later in life.  In the study, researchers examined the scores on annual cognitive tests in people with brain plaques.

People with brain plaques were more likely to have declining scores and show signs of shrinkage in the brain that has been generally attributed to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

In establishing a link between the development of brain plaques with Alzheimer’s disease will hopefully lead to new Alzheimer’s treatments and early diagnosis.  Findings from these studies will also help form the basis for determining if healthy people at risk of Alzheimer’s disease will receive treatments to prevent dementia.