As humans age, they are more susceptible to the loss of certain cognitive functions, which can increase their risk of getting certain cognitive-related diseases. One very prevalent disease is Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive brain disorder that mainly affects memory, cognitive function, and behavior. Some of the causes involve abnormal protein deposits in the brain, such as amyloid plaques and tau tangles. These deposits can lead to nerve cell damage, which results in an effect on communication between neurons. Most cases of AD occur after the age of 65. It has been seen that carrying the APOE ε4 gene can increase susceptibility to developing AD. A research study done by Dr. Elizabeth R. Paitel and Dr. Kristy A. Nielson has shown a way to detect AD earlier in people to then be able to take preventative measures to help people from developing AD.
The study aimed to analyze cerebellar EEG source localization in participants during an executive function-dependent task in older adults. Their main goal was to investigate whether cerebellar activity could detect pre-symptomatic AD risk. They took 20 participants who were carriers of the APOE ε4 gene, and 24 participants who were not carriers of the APOE ε4 gene, all with an average age of about 80 years, and gave them an inhibitory control task (stop-signal task) that required executive function and used EEG source localization to gain effective modeling of cerebral activity. The results showed that older age predicted greater activity in the left crus II and lobule VIIb of the cerebellum in the P300 window of performance evaluation, which was consistent with age-related compensation. More importantly, it was seen that compensatory patterns were more evident in patients without the APOE ε4 gene rather than in patients with the gene, which suggests that cerebellar compensatory resources may already be depleted in healthy ε4+ elders. Characterization of these patterns can lead to early detection of AD risk and critical intervention prior to symptoms.
So, how can people with the APOE ε4 gene take preventative measures to help decrease the chances of developing AD? The best thing one can do is cognitive training. Maintaining your cognitive abilities can help lower the chances of developing AD. Engaging in mentally stimulating activities, such as puzzles reading, and learning new skills, can help maintain and strengthen your cognitive abilities. Regular physical activity has been seen to improve cognitive function and it increases blood flow to the brain. Another important thing that can help with the prevention is staying socially engaged. Managing relationships and participating in group activities can help.
Now, what is an activity that incorporates all of these aspects, and can be done regularly in a cost-effective way? Dance. Dance involves encoding complex movement patterns. When people practice dance, cerebral thought processes are blended with muscle memory and proprioception ( awareness of one's bodily position). This can enhance memory, attention, and executive functions, and various other cognitive functions. Going to regularly scheduled dance classes can also help build a community and keep you social. You can strengthen your cognitive abilities, and stay physically active while also maintaining social relationships, which are all seen to help the prevention of AD.
Sources:
1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9234256/
2) https://europepmc.org/article/MED/37493042
3) https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-and-dementia/what-alzheimers-disease
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