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Mackensie Shaw

Mrs.Burr

English 1010

14 December 2017

Alzheimer’s Disease: Effectiveness of Prevention Strategies

Alzheimer's affects 44 million people worldwide each year. Alzheimer’s disease affects

the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls memories, emotions, and cognitive functions.

Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, but years of research have been dedicated to

discovering prevention treatments for the disease. Researchers have searched the options to

preventing Alzheimer’s. Studies have gone into the connection between physical activity and the

effects it has on the brain of people affected with AD, and cognitive disabilities. A research

article done by BMC Public Health, “Formulation of evidence-based messages to promote the

use of physical activity to prevent and manage Alzheimer’s disease”, has gone into depth how

physical activity is connected to mental health. The research shows how physical exercise can

affect Alzheimer patients, and could potentially lower the risk of individuals of attaining AD.

Another prevention strategy gone into the study of Alzheimer prevention is therapies, and

natural remedy treatments. A study done on natural remedies, “Consumption of fig fruits grown

in Oman can improve memory, anxiety, and learning skills in a transgenic mice model of

Alzheimer’s disease,” has completed experiments and found data on how fig fruits have effects

on the behavior, and cognitive functions of mice, and how the remedy could be used to be a

useful prevention method for AD patients. Another article, “Therapies for Prevention and

Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease,” goes into different therapy treatments into preventing, and
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maintaining the symptoms of AD through the use of pathogens, natural antibodies, risk factors,

and systematic remedies. Another prevention that has been researched for as a potential

prevention strategy of Alzheimer's disease is medications. An article done by Rygiel K at the

Medical University of Silesia, “Can Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors impact cognitive

decline in early stages in Alzheimer’s disease? An overview of research evidence in the elderly

patient population,” The researchers studied how ACE-Is reduces the swelling in the brain and

could be used to reduce the inflammation in AD patients. The research on physical fitness,

natural remedies, and medications are to find an effective solution to preventing Alzheimer’s

disease. Time and money has gone into experimenting strategies to prevent Alzheimer’s, just

how effective are these prevention strategies?

Physical fitness affects physical health as well as mental health. Studies have gone into

how physical activity directly connects to the brain. A research article done by BMC Public

Health studies the theory. According to BMC Public Health, “Physical activity may be practical,

economical, and accessible intervention for both prevention and management of Alzheimer’s

disease.” (Kathleen A. Martin Ginis et al.) Physical fitness could be a simple solution to a

complicated disease. Researchers also report that regular physical exercise could reduce risk of

developing cognitive diseases such as AD. According to the research center, “Regular physical

exercise may be a beneficial strategy to lower the risk of Alzheimer's and vascular dementia,

exercise may directly benefit brain cells by increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain.”

(Ginis et al.) Physical fitness could also improve the symptoms in patients already affected with

Alzheimer’s because it would get blood flowing throughout the brain cells. Practice guidelines

have been made to figure out what exercises should be done, how much, and the intensity. But

the guidelines for effective amount of physical exercise for AD patients is unknown. The BMC
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Public Health states, “The purpose of the present project was to develop an evidence-based

statement about the benefits of physical activity for preventing and managing Alzheimer’s

disease,” (Ginis et al). The BMC’s focus is on managing Alzheimer's and reducing behavioral

and cognitive dysfunctions in AD patients. To prevent the disease from beginning in those not

affected with AD, and those with the disease to decrease the symptoms. In September of the year

2013 they created a panel to discuss the evidence of the statement. The panel included; five

stakeholders to represent service and health care groups, and ten university researchers who are

experts in physical activity. The panel discussed the relationship between physical activity and

risks associated with AD. The patients with Alzheimer’s disease are on average over the age of

sixty, and physical exercise could cause damage to their bodies. The panel concluded to continue

tests and experiments on those affected with AD to see the outcome of the results. The tested

effects of physical fitness found that it helped in the emotional needs of those affected with

depression. The connection between physical fitness and behavior had no connection, because

the results proved to be inconsistent. Physical performance and function improved mobility, but

no tests resulted in an increase in muscle increase, and endurance. Because the experiments that

have been completed vary in many different results the limitations on concluding a solid

statement cannot be achieved. Physical activity has not yet been proven to have an exact

connection against preventing Alzheimer's disease.

To better understand what therapy strategies, and natural remedies can be effective in

Alzheimer patients the first step is to understanding what causes AD, and to understand how AD

affects the brain. According to Therapies for prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease,

“Strategies for prevention of AD through nonpharmacological treatments are associated with

lifestyle interventions such as exercise, mental challenges, and socialization was well as calorie
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restriction and a healthy diet. AD is an important health issue on which all people should be

informed so that prevention strategies that minimize the rise of development may be

implemented.” (J.Mendiola-Precoma et al.) The purpose of this article is to understand the

seriousness of AD, and to find prevention and treatments because Alzheimer’s is a huge

complication in many lives. Alzheimer’s treatments can be separated into groups; Symptomatic

treatments, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Alzheimer's disease can be classified as on-set, or

late-onset. Onset Alzheimer's affects people under the age of 65. Researches do not know where

AD began but genetics and environmental factors are believed to contribute to the formation of

the disease in the brain:

“AD is characterized by cognitive alterations, memory loss, and behavioural

changes which affect daily living. Table 1 records the well-characterised stages

of slow but progressive AD development. The predominant theory for the

degenerative process in AD (Summarised in Figure 1) subscribes that deposition

in the brain of high insoluble amyloid-b occurs early in Ad and suppresses

symptomatic plasticity. Disruption of dendritic spine formation thereby interferes

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with memory consolidation.”

(Precoma et al.)

Symptomatic treatment is treatment done to decrease symptoms and solve a condition

of the problem but not the problem itself. The studies showed that higher ACH levels improve

the brain’s function and the study used symptomatic natural remedies to use as a prevention

strategy to to treat Alzheimer’s Disease. Another article done on natural remedies, Omega-3

Fatty Acids in Early Prevention of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Disease: A Focus on

Alzheimer’s Disease, tests the effect of fish oil on the brain of those affected with Alzheimer’s

disease. Alzheimer patients have lower DHA levels and Omega-3 Fatty Acids could improve the

brain and cognitive functions. Researchers did tests on mice to test the effect Omega-3 had, the

rodents proved to have a positive effect on their cognitive function compared to the other rodents

that were not given Omega-3. The results of the test did increase protein in the body and increase

the function of memory and the cognitive function in the brain. Omega-3 also decreases the

inflammation in the brain of AD patients and increased cognitive function. The research showed,

“Evidence for a single nutrient therapy is inconsistent.” (J.Thomas et al.) One remedy is not the

overall solution for prevention of AD. Studies also showed that Omega-3 was most effective on

patients with mild cognitive disabilities, and treatments with the use of Omega-3 would have to

begin in the early stages of AD.

Treatments of medications in alzheimer's patients have been completed as much as any

other prevention strategy. The review article “Can angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors

impact cognitive decline in early stages of Alzheimer’s disease? An overview of research

evidence in the elderly patient population,” (Regiel K). Test the effectiveness converting

inhibitors could have on the ability to slow down alzheimer disease from progressing. ACE-Is
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have been used to help blood pressure regulation, and has proven to be effective against

dementia, and could improved cognitive functions. ACE-Is focus is to decrease inflammation,

and could decrease the inflammation in AD patients, and could potentially decrease the

symptoms of AD patients. “There is a growing body of research showing that the centrally active

ACE-Is slow down the cognitive deterioration in patients with AD, by almost 30% a year,

compared with the other Antihypertensive agents,” (Regiel K). ACE-Is proved to be more

effective when compared with other medications. ACE-Is through medical studies has shown

slight improvement in cognitive function in AD patients.

In conclusion, Alzheimer's is a very complex issue that affects the majority of the

population. The prevention strategies have proven to be slightly effective, but no real effective

improvement. The disease is difficult to study because many prevention strategies have so many

factors, and these prevention strategies must be completed before the disease has begun.

Genetics have a impact on the chance of getting AD. There are no prevention strategies to

prevent AD and these interventions will prove to be ineffective. Through the use of physical

activity, natural remedies, and medications there has been no concrete evidence that the

prevention strategies researched have a direct connection to preventing Alzheimer’s disease.

Works Cited

Engelking, Carl. “Brain Cells With Alzheimer's Disease Grown in a Petri Dish” Discover
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magazine. Discover Magazine, Oct. 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2017.

Martin Ginis, Kathleen A., et al. "Formulation of Evidence-Based Messages to Promote the Use

of Physical Activity to Prevent and Manage Alzheimer's Disease." BMC Public Health,

vol. 17, 17 Feb. 2017, pp. 1-17. EBSCOhost, Web. Dec 9. 2017

Mendiola-Precoma, J., et al. "Therapies for Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease."

Biomed Research International, vol. 2016, 28 July 2016, pp. 1-17. EBSCOhost,

Web. 8 Dec. 2017

Population." Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, vol. 62, no. 4, Oct-Dec2016, pp 242-248.

EBSCOhost, Web. Dec 8. 2017

“Prevention and Risk of Alzheimer's and Dementia.” Alzheimer's Association. Alzheimer’s

Association, 27 Jan 2017. Web. 10 Dec 2017

Rygiel, K. "Can Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors Impact Cognitive Decline in Early

Stages of Alzheimer's Disease? An Overview of Research Evidence in the Elderly Patient

Population." Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, vol. 62, no. 4, Oct-Dec2016, pp 242-248.

EBSCOhost, Web. Dec 8. 2017

Subash, Selvaraju, et al. "Consumption of Fig Fruits Grown in Oman Can Improve Memory,
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Anxiety, and Learning Skills in a Transgenic Mice Model of Alzheimer's

Disease."Nutritional Neuroscience, vol. 19, no. 10, Dec. 2016, pp. 475-483. EBSCOhost,

Web. 10. 2017

Thomas, J., et al. "Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Early Prevention of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative

Disease: A Focus on Alzheimer's Disease." Biomed Research International, vol. 2015, 02

Aug. 2015, pp. 1-13. EBSCOhost, Web. 10 Dec. 2017

Wu, Wen-Yu, et al. "Novel Multitarget-Directed Tacrine Derivatives as Potential Candidates for

the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease." Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry,

vol. 32, no. 1, Jan. 2017, pp. 572-587. EBSCOhost. Web. 6 Dec. 2017.