Prevention actions, particularly for those at higher risk

[JohnCCC]

My wife, 55, whose has 2 uncles who had dementia, is ε3/ε4 (genetic tests from 2andme), meaning she is 2-3x more likely than average to have dementia later in life.

Does anyone have views on actions we can take now to prevent, delay and minimise onset?

Is this on statins seen as valid? "Simvastatin is associated with a reduced incidence of dementia and Parkinson's disease", Wolozin et al, 2007.

Thanks for any thoughts
John

p.s. am amazed there appears to be so little out there on preventative actions. Surely a stitch in time here is worth 999,999?

 

[nita]

I don't think a doctor would prescribe statins unless for their recommended purpose, i.e reducing the risk of a heart or stroke, if the person was high risk for those. I don't know if this would only help those at risk of vascular dementia, which is triggered by TIAs, transitory ischaemic attacks (I think it stands for) or mini-strokes.

I am afraid there is still not much known about the causes of dementia. We are advised to follow a Mediterranean diet, take exercise and generally keep fit but I don't think that alone prevents it.

 

[Beate]

There aren't many preventative actions because you cannot prevent dementia.
It's a good idea to keep active and eat healthily for anything in life, but it will not prevent dementia.
You can train your brain on crossword puzzles until you are blue in the face - it will not prevent dementia.
Highly intelligent individuals might mask symptoms for a little longer than others, but they cannot prevent progression.
Btw, OH had taken Simvastatin for years. He still got dementia.

Sorry.

 

[Amethyst59]

Yup...my OH too. On simvastatim for years...has vascular dementia. If it could be prevented...we’d be doing it.

 

[Caroline00]

Hi
I heard that studying another language can help delay dementia by as much as 5 years.

 

[Amethyst59]

Hmm...well, it’s me again...my OH speaks English, Dutch, German, and Italian...studied the latter for the past ten years...

 

[Amethyst59]

Sorry, I’m sounding negative. You are right, studying a foreign language or learning to play a musical instrument or dancing COULD all prevent or delay dementia...but it doesn’t mean they necessarily WILL prevent it. I think the only major thing to come out of recent research is the ‘brain training’ thing. Doing a daily puzzle, makes you better at doing puzzles...it has no effect on dementia.

 

[Ludlow]

For any given individual there are no guarantees, but statistically you might be able to reduce the risk. This BBC report on a study published in The Lancet (ie probably a valid study).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-40655566

 

[HillyBilly]

I'm doing an online course at the moment with Future Learn called Strategies for Successful Ageing. Amongst other things, the course suggests all the usual to "prevent" (I took exception to that word and questioned it) or delay the onset of dementia - exercise, good diet, building up your brain's "resilience", social engagement, thinking "young" etc.
Hey, anything's worth a try and you and your wife will probably benefit from all the above.

 

[Caroline00]

Hmm...well, it’s me again...my OH speaks English, Dutch, German, and Italian...studied the latter for the past ten years...

Well it was just a thought. I think feeling that you are doing something to perhaps delay dementia can help psychologically. My mother is Dutch and at 91 has vascular dementia and is bilingual. I just wonder if she might have been diagnosed some years ago if she had not been bilingual or always studying. Perhaps not. I know not much can prevent dementia. but any delay and buying of tine must be positive.
On an aside inreresting to see how more and more Dutch words are replacing the English ones.

 

[Amethyst59]

I think the only thing we were told was different was that as my OH is PhD former research chemist, that his ‘score’ for dementia was borderline at diagnosis, but for him, this was a very low score.

 

[Amethyst59]

Well it was just a thought. I think feeling that you are doing something to perhaps delay dementia can help psychologically. My mother is Dutch and at 91 has vascular dementia and is bilingual. I just wonder if she might have been diagnosed some years ago if she had not been bilingual or always studying. Perhaps not. I know not much can prevent dementia. but any delay and buying of tine must be positive.
On an aside inreresting to see how more and more Dutch words are replacing the English ones.

The only thing I can say in Dutch, is Can I have a pancake without cream?! An interesting thing happened in the summer, a Dutch family came by and my OH began speaking with them in fluent Dutch, despite using Italian much more recently (he hadn’t spoken Dutch for several years). And he was much more fluent than he is sometimes in English, his native language. It was lovely to hear him and it was a real boost to his confidence.

 

[Prudence9]

My Mum has dementia, her Mum had it, so did her Grandmother and her Great-grandmother.
Mum never drank, smoked, rarely took tablets, walked a lot, worked hard, cooked "proper" food as did her Mum etc etc.

My prevention measures are to smoke and drink nice wine and Brandy (not too much as I'll drop Mum), and try to enjoy my probably shorter-than-otherwise life as I really don't want to die from this dreadful disease (my Dad's Mum had it too), I have no intention of making old bones, just pray I don't get early-onset!

 

[mab]

My OH was born on the Mediterranean and has enjoyed that cuisine all his life.
He is a life long non smoker, non drinker of alcohol. Highly intelligent and well educated doctor, surgeon even (FRCS) All his education has been in English, with Arabic as his mother tongue.
He's been on Simvastatin for at least 12 years..........
And now has dementia, as have at least 3 of his older siblings........
It's a lottery!

 

[Lawson58]

Hi
I heard that studying another language can help delay dementia by as much as 5 years.

Prior to going to live in a Spanish speaking country, OH and I endeavoured to learn a little of the language so we had CDs and books etc. Trouble is that when we got there we discovered that the locals spoke dialect that even native Spanish speakers couldn't understand them.

OH continued with the same program and still does right up till now - that's 14 years listening to the same CDs over and over. He has the idea that he is doing brilliantly but I can't see how all this 'learning' has helped him.
And it drives me nuts, hearing the same voice over and over again.

So he never smoked, has been vegetarian for years, regularly ran half marathons, played tennis and drank occasionally. His mother had Alzheimer's and two younger brothers have memory problems so maybe it was inevitable that he would also get this disease.

 

[Caroline00]

The only thing I can say in Dutch, is Can I have a pancake without cream?! An interesting thing happened in the summer, a Dutch family came by and my OH began speaking with them in fluent Dutch, despite using Italian much more recently (he hadn’t spoken Dutch for several years). And he was much more fluent than he is sometimes in English, his native language. It was lovely to hear him and it was a real boost to his confidence.

 

[Caroline00]

That is such a lovely story

 

[Amethyst59]

Prior to going to live in a Spanish speaking country, OH and I endeavoured to learn a little of the language so we had CDs and books etc. Trouble is that when we got there we discovered that the locals spoke dialect that even native Spanish speakers couldn't understand them.

OH continued with the same program and still does right up till now - that's 14 years listening to the same CDs over and over. He has the idea that he is doing brilliantly but I can't see how all this 'learning' has helped him.
And it drives me nuts, hearing the same voice over and over again.

So he never smoked, has been vegetarian for years, regularly ran half marathons, played tennis and drank occasionally. His mother had Alzheimer's and two younger brothers have memory problems so maybe it was inevitable that he would also get this disease.

It runs in my husband’s family too. I must admit I gave it a passing thought before we married...but just a passing thought. I don’t think I would have made a different decision...but I’m tired, so my mood is a little jaded!! Ask me on a good day!

 

[Grannie G]

I doubt dementia can be prevented until more is known about the cause.

This doesn't`t mean we shouldn't`t try as much as possible to live healthy life styles and get as much exercise and fresh air as possible, ensuring a good supply of oxygen to the brain.

 

[Caroline00]

I doubt dementia can be prevented until more is known about the cause.

This doesn't`t mean we shouldn't`t try as much as possible to live healthy life styles and get as much exercise and fresh air as possible, ensuring a good supply of oxygen to the brain.

Perhaps all that can be done is to try and delay the onset.