Even if individuals carry high – risk genes for dementia, following a healthy lifestyle can significantly extend their cognitive health lifespan by 4 to 5 years. This conclusion comes from a research project jointly conducted by Yao Yao, a researcher at Peking University, postdoctoral fellow Ren Long Bing, Hu Fan, an associate chief physician at the General Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army, along with scholars from universities like University College London in the UK and Osaka
University in Japan. The relevant findings were recently published online in the international journal Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia, offering a scientific basis for individual prevention and control.
Apolipoprotein E (APOE gene), with its two different subtypes (APOEε4 allele and APOEε2 allele), is the most significant and least – understood genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, always drawing much academic attention. Research reveals that over 10% of the elderly in China carry the APOEε4 allele. This group has a 23% higher risk of cognitive impairment compared to the general population, and this increased risk starts showing up in middle age. On the other hand, carriers of the APOEε2 allele face less threat from dementia and death. Researchers suspect that this gene may protect cognitive function indirectly by reducing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.
Although genes set different starting points for everyone’s cognitive health, lifestyle acts as the switch that decides whether the “genetic insurance” works. Yao Yaoyan explained, “Even if people carry the APOEε4 allele, a healthy lifestyle can still greatly slow down cognitive decline.” However, if APOEε2 allele carriers don’t have good living habits, their genetic advantages will fade away. Based on an in – depth study of how the dual nature of APOE and healthy lifestyles interact and affect the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, the research team followed up 6,488 elderly people aged 65 and above in China for 15 years. The results show that adhering to five common healthy lifestyles can not only significantly increase life expectancy but also effectively slow down the progression of cognitive impairment, thus extending “cognitive healthy life years”.
First, avoid smoking or quit smoking for over 10 years to prevent long – term chronic damage to nerves and blood vessels caused by harmful substances in tobacco. Second, refrain from drinking alcohol or quit drinking for more than 10 years to avoid cognitive damage from alcohol. Third, maintain a diverse diet. Consume at least 12 kinds of food from 5 categories daily, including whole grains, fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts, and beans. Pay special attention to getting enough unsaturated fatty acids and dietary fiber. Fourth, keep up regular physical activity. Do moderate – intensity exercises every day, such as brisk walking, square dancing, or Tai Chi. Fifth, actively participate in cognitive social activities. Read, play chess, visit friends, or take part in community activities at least twice a week to stimulate brain thinking and activate neural connections.
Data shows that compared to those without these healthy habits, elderly people with 4 to 5 of these healthy lifestyles have a 27% lower risk of changing from “cognitive health” to “cognitive impairment” and a 43% lower risk of changing from “cognitive health” directly to “death”. Even for elderly people who already show signs of cognitive impairment, the probability of regaining “cognitive health” by following a healthy lifestyle is 73% higher. More remarkably, 65 – year – old men and women can gain an “additional cognitive healthy life years” of 4.78 years and 5.26 years respectively through a healthy lifestyle, meaning the onset of dementia could be delayed by nearly 5 years.
Studies also indicate that although elderly people carrying the APOEε4 allele may experience cognitive impairment earlier, if they adhere to more healthy lifestyles, they can achieve a similar effect in extending their healthy lifespan as those without genetic risks and with healthy lifestyles. This discovery breaks the previous belief in genetic risk determinism and provides strong evidence for the elderly in China to maintain cognitive health.
This scientific achievement has shifted the focus of Alzheimer’s disease prevention and treatment from “treating the disease” to “maintaining health”, confirming that “controllable factors matter more than uncontrollable ones”. Tang Yi, executive deputy director of the National Center for Neurological Diseases, executive vice president and professor of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, pointed out that China has a large number of Alzheimer’s disease patients. 45% of them can prevent the disease by addressing multiple modifiable risk factors.
For every year the disease’s onset is delayed, the prevention and control cost can be reduced by over 40%. He called for future efforts in two aspects of Alzheimer’s disease treatment: First, include lifestyle intervention in basic public health services, set up “memory clinics”, and aim to have “cognitive health instructors” in every community. Second, strengthen science popularization to clear up the misunderstanding that “dementia is incurable” and help the elderly truly understand that “today’s good habits determine tomorrow’s brain health”.
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