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Can Physical Cues Signal Dementia?
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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next >> Dementia seriously impairs the ability to carry out normal daily activities, according to the U.S. National Institute on Aging. That impairment can run the spectrum, from having trouble finding the right words to performing multi-step tasks, such as preparing a meal or caring for oneself. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting an estimated 4.5 million Americans.
Larson and his colleagues at the University of Washington followed study participants for six years. Initially, none of them showed signs of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. The researchers assessed their physical and mental function every two years. By the sixth year, 319 people had developed dementia, including 221 Alzheimer's cases. Those with higher physical performance scores at the start of the study were three times less likely to develop dementia.
Following up on this work, Larson is preparing another study that will examine a larger group of individuals over a 10-year period.
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Larson believes the evidence points to a connection between mind and body. In fact, in an earlier study, he and his colleagues found that people who exercised regularly were less likely to develop dementia, including Alzheimer's.
Cognitive function, like physical function, is determined by a combination of mental and physical fitness, he explained. Brain tissue, like muscle, requires blood and oxygen.
"So, if you can improve that element of the way our bodies work, which is what physical fitness does, you're going to be also protecting the brain from cognitive decline," Larson said. "And, conversely, if you can maintain your brain function by exercising it, you may also be improving your ability to stay physically active."
In his own practice, consisting largely of patients in their 70s and 80s, Larson often recommends consulting a personal trainer or physical therapist for help starting a fitness program.
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Copyright © 2008 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
Last updated 8/15/2008
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SOURCES: Eric B. Larson, M.D., M.P.H., Center for Health Studies, Group Health Cooperative, Seattle; Patricia C. Heyn, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, Colo.; Constantine G. Lyketsos, M.D., M.H.S., Elizabeth Plank Althouse Professor, and chairman, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore; May 22, 2006; Archives of Internal Medicine; National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, Md.
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