Preventing Alzheimer's

Have you heard this one?

There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra than on Alzheimer's research.

This means that by 2020, there should be a large elderly population with perky breasts, firm erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.

Sure, we joke about it. But for most of us, this is a serious matter. My friend Richard responded to last week's Healthspan on Alzheimer's by saying: "It is the ultimate boogeyman in the closet and for me that closet door is ajar."

In that column, I reported how encountering some cognitive and memory deficits are a natural part of aging. We only start crossing into Alzheimer's territory when these impairments begin interfering with our daily functioning.

Still, most of us are not planning to stand around idly while our mind slips away. There is a lot of snake oil out there, so we need evidence-based information.

Here are some things you can do to keep the Alzheimer's boogeyman locked in the closet.

1. Kill the pain.

Alzheimer's is believed to be caused by brain lesions resulting from a build up of beta-amyloid plaque. Ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen (Aleve) appear to dissolve these lesions and may even prevent new ones from forming, according to a UCLA study.

2. Eat something fishy.

Another UCLA study adds support to the growing body of evidence that makes fish oil a star in the aging wars. Fish eaters, even those who eat one fish meal a day, are significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer's than those who rarely or never eat fish.

3. Use it or lose it.

We've all heard of this one, which is probably why you have already done your crossword puzzle today. One study, reported in the jounral Psychology of Aging, found that older adults who were bilingual had significantly less cognitive decline than those with only one language under their belts.

Any mental stimulation helps, but research does support reading Dostoevski over watching "Stacked" on TV when it comes to keeping your brain perky.

4. Move it or lose it.

The evidence is impressive on this one. A year ago, the Journal for the American Medical Society published a study of 18,000 women "of a certain age" who showed a 20 percent decrease in cognitive impairment if they were long-term exercisers. They didn't have to be marathoners; even regular walking sufficed. What is good for the gander is good for the goose, surely; and this 20 percent gain is consistent with other studies. A large-scale study out of Johns Hopkins points to variety in exercise activities as providing even greater insurance against mental decline.

5. Sleep on it.

Stronger memory and increased attention spans are the benefits of getting a good night's rest, according to the experts at a 2004 Western Psychological Association conference on the subject. Cornell University professor Dr. James Maas claimed good sleep will help the brain store new information into long-term memory. During "rapid eye movement" (REM) sleep, the brain replenishes the neurotransmitters that are responsible for learning and problem solving. Most Americans get six hours of sleep a night. You need more in order to receive these benefits.

Next week, I will be back with five more suggestions for things you can do to keep the Big A at bay. Don't forget!

Dr. Michael O.L. Seabaugh is a Cape Girardeau native who is a licensed clinical psychologist in Santa Barbara and Santa Monica, Calif. Contact him at mseabaugh@semissourian.com.