Lifestyle changes 'could cut Alzheimer's in half'

A change in certain lifestyle factors could cut the incidence of Alzheimer's cases by half, findings from a new study suggest.

Research carried out at the San Francisco VA Medical Center revealed that the top modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's are low education, smoking, physical inactivity, depression, mid-life hypertension, diabetes and mid-life obesity.

Authors hypothesised that if these elements were altered, Alzheimer's cases could be more than halved.

Study leader Deborah Barnes pointed out: "We are assuming that when you change the risk factor, then you change the risk.

"What we need to do now is figure out whether that assumption is correct."

In other news, more people may undertake meditation after scientists discovered the technique can strengthen the brain.

According to the University of California Los Angeles research, people who meditate have stronger connections between different regions of the brain and experience less age-related brain atrophy.

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