The Minster Practice, Lichfield

Sources of support

Alzheimer's Disease: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/ and http://www.alzforum.org 

Alzheimer's Disease Society  0845 3000 336 (8am - 6pm)

Eat your greens

Research presented to the American Alzheimer's Association found that people who eat lots of greens such as lettuce, spinach, broccoli and sprouts suffer less cognitive decline in their seventies than those who eat none.

Gingko biloba and Alzheimer's disease

In Alzheimer's disease, gingko does seem to improve cognitive function compared to placebo. 

Niacin may help prevent Alzheimer's

Research published by the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging in  Illinois in the Journal of Neurosurgery and Psychiatry (2004,75;1093)has found that niacin (vitamin B3), which is found in fish, nuts, dairy products, tea and coffee, may offer protection against the development of Alzheimer's disease.
815 people were studied and those with the lowest intake of niacin were 80% more likely to develop Alzheimer's. The team behind the study said their findings could have important implications in the fight against the disease.

Drug treatment of little benefit

NICE recommended in 2001 that cholinesterase inhibitors should be prescribed on the NHS for patients with some grades of Alzheimer's at a cost of £1000 per patient per year. A study was funded by the NHS to look at this class of drug in more detail.

The University of Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit looked at donepezil  (Aricept) versus placebo. The drug did NOT delay institutionalisation, progression of disability, mood,  behavioural symptoms, well-being of carers or cost of caring. As already known, memory was improved but only to a limited degree. 11 fruits could be named in 1 minute on donepezil compared to 10 on placebo and a 60 point scale of functional ability showed a 1 point improvement. This does not seem worth £1000 per year according to the head of research The Lancet 2004; 363:2105-15.

Heart Bypass is brain risk

Source: The Sun Date: 02/08/2004
A study by Boston University Medical School has found that patients who have heart bypasses could have a 70 per cent higher risk of developing Alzheimer's. A survey carried out by Boston University Medical School of 9,000 cases, found that surgery patients were 70 per cent more likely to develop the brain disease than those who have other heart treatments.

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