Medical notes - Look after your brain, as you only have the one

Published on Tuesday 23 September 2008 20:05

TV presenter Fiona Phillips has been told there is a chance she will develop early-onset Alzheimer's, so what can the rest of us do to minimise the risk?

GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips is reported to be leaving the sofa because she wants to spend more time with her children after learning she could be at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Fiona, 47, has a strong family history of the condition – her mother died from Alzheimer's two years ago and her father has just been diagnosed with it – meaning she is at higher risk. Research from the US suggests Fiona is twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's as the average person, and that it is likely to strike some 10-15 years earlier.

The researchers followed 115 families where both parents had the condition. They found that the odds of a son or daughter developing the illness were around one in five and that the first tell-tale signs were likely to become obvious in their late sixties (as opposed to the late seventies or early eighties for the rest of the population).

These results are bound to worry anyone with a family history of the disease, but they need to be put into perspective – the findings still mean most people who have a parent or grandparent with the condition will not develop it themselves.

While none of us can change the genetic hand we have been dealt, there is a lot we can do to influence factors that might reinforce a genetic predisposition to increase the risk even further.

One of the biggest causes of damage to the ageing brain is not a specific disease like Alzheimer's, but a gradual process caused by furring up of the cerebral arteries. And, unlike Alzheimer's disease, the rate of progression of these changes can be influenced. Put simply, what is good for the heart is good for the brain, so here are my tips for keeping your grey matter in shape.

BOOST YOUR FOLIC ACID INTAKE

THE recommended daily amount is 200mg a day, increasing to 400mg a day for pregnant women and those trying to conceive. Natural sources such as spinach and liver can deliver as much as 100mg per serving but overcooking destroys up to 95 per cent of the vitamin. So should we all take supplements? While some believe folic acid supplements protect against heart disease and dementia, others think a low intake indicates an unhealthy diet and that correcting this on its own is unlikely to have much impact. More research is needed but in the meantime a daily supplement – in addition to a healthy diet – won't do you any harm and could do a lot of good.

EAT OILY FISH

IF YOU don't like fish such as mackerel, salmon or fresh tuna consider daily fish oil supplements.

WOMEN MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER HRT

THIS treatment should not be taken solely for its possible protective effects against Alzheimer's but if you are also troubled by hot flushes, taking hormone replacement therapy could delay its onset.

LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP FIT

THE heavier you are, the more likely you are to develop premature furring up of the arteries supplying the brain. Exercise has been shown to boost brain function, but don't overdo it – studies suggest that while three hours of vigorous exercise a week boosts mental agility, heavy exercise can depress brain cell growth and function.

MAINTAIN AN ACTIVE SOCIAL LIFE

STRETCH your brain, by going to bed late rather than early and by doing puzzles.

HAVE REGULAR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS

AT LEAST every three years once over 35, and every 12 months if borderline (over 145/85). Untreated high blood pressure is toxic to the delicate brain.

HAVE A CHOLESTEROL TEST

REDUCE it if it is raised (including taking cholesterol-lowering statins if required).

GET TESTED IF YOU SUSPECT YOU HAVE DIABETES

CLUES include a raging thirst, peeing more than normal, recurrent infections like boils or thrush, lack of energy and blurred vision.

DRINK IN MODERATION AND DON'T SMOKE

NEITHER of which requires much explanation.