Statewide Iowa — Iowans who are attending this week’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in San Diego are hearing about the latest research into potential risk factors for the disease.
Lauren Livingston, spokeswoman for the association’s Iowa chapter, says earlier studies have shown how pregnant women with high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia may be more prone to heart disease, and now there’s a link to brain disorders.
Another new study being released this week builds on the knowledge that racism can cause trauma in a person’s life; bringing an increase in stress levels which may cause negative biological changes, including cognitive decline.
Recent studies have also shown how healthy lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise, can help to reduce cognitive decline in the future, while the opposite is also proving to be true in new research.
The Brazilian study found people whose diet consisted of twenty percent or more of ultra processed foods experienced a twenty-eight percent faster decline in their cognitive scores, including memory. Ultra processed foods generally make up about half of the typical American diet. More than six million people nationwide are living with Alzheimer’s disease, including 66,000 in Iowa. You can learn more at alz.org.
