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Alzheimer's & Dementia
First Signs of Alzheimer's May Be Trouble with
Balance, Walking
Senior citizens who stayed active less likely
to develop dementia
May 22, 2006 - The first signs of dementia -
including Alzheimer's disease – may not be a faulty memory but problems
with balance and walking, according to a new study that found senior
citizens who participated were three times less likely to develop
dementia if they maintained their physical function at high levels.
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The joint study between Group Health Cooperative
and the University of Washington reported in the May 22 Archives of
Internal Medicine.
This study followed 2,288 Group Health members age
65 and older for six years. At the start, none showed any signs of
dementia or Alzheimer's disease. The researchers contacted the
participants every two years, assessing physical and mental functioning.
By six years, 319 participants had developed
dementia, including 221 with Alzheimer's disease. The participants whose
physical function was higher at the start of the study were three times
less likely to develop dementia than were those whose physical function
was lower.
"Everyone had expected the earliest signs of
dementia would be subtle cognitive changes," said Eric B. Larson, MD,
MPH, director of Group Health Center for Health Studies. "We were
surprised to find that physical changes can precede declines in
thinking." What is considered a brain disease may be intimately
connected to physical fitness, he added.
In the study, the first indicators of future
dementia appeared to be problems with walking and balance. A weak
handgrip may be a later sign of the development of dementia in older
people.
The National Institute on Aging supported this
study. Coauthors are Li Wang, MS, of the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound
Health Care System; and James D. Bowen, MD, and Gerald van Belle, PhD,
of the University of Washington.
In a recent report, in the Annals of Internal
Medicine in January 2006, some of these researchers found that when
people exercised regularly, they were less likely to develop dementia,
including Alzheimer's disease. The cause of this association was not
clear, though. This newer study suggests a possible pathway: that
regular exercise may help stave off dementia by improving and
maintaining physical conditioning.
"These results suggest that in aging, there's a
close link between the mind and body," said Larson. "Physical and mental
performance may go hand in hand, and anything you can do to improve one
is likely to improve the other." If people notice that they are starting
to decline physically, he said, reengaging in physical activity may help
them to stop or slow this decline — and reduce their risk of early
cognitive worsening.
On the other hand, he said, it is still possible
for people who have physical constraints, even paralysis, to stay
mentally alert and cognitively fit. Other studies have suggested that
staying busy with nonphysical leisure activities and learning new things
may also help delay the onset of dementia. Also, "healthy body, healthy
mind" is probably only part of the story, he added. Other elements
likely include social support and positive mood.
About Group Health Center for Health Studies
Founded in 1947, Group Health is a
consumer-governed, nonprofit health care system that coordinates care
and coverage. Based in Seattle, Group Health and its subsidiary health
carriers, Group Health Options, Inc. and KPS Health Plans, serve more
than 574,000 members in Washington and Idaho. Group Health's commercial
and Medicare plans have received the top rating of "Excellent" from the
National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Group Health
encompasses medical and specialty centers, hospitals (including a
full-service community hospital), a nationally recognized research
center, and a charitable foundation. Group Health and Group Health
Permanente (its multispecialty medical group practice) combined employ
more than 9,000 staff members.
Group Health Center for Health Studies conducts
research related to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of major health
problems. It is funded primarily through government and private research
grants.
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