Busy
Minds May Slow Alzheimer's
THURSDAY, March 10 (HealthDay News) -- Keeping the brain busy may help
stave off signs of Alzheimer's disease, researchers report.
The University of Chicago study found that mice that lived in an
"enriched environment" with chew toys, running wheels and tunnels that
helped keep their brains and bodies active had lower levels of
Alzheimer's-associated brain plaques and protein buildup than mice that
lived in less stimulating surroundings.
"This goes back to the old idea of use it or lose it, that using your
brain keeps it more active. It's more common sense than anything, but
what we didn't previously appreciate is that it might affect the
pathology that is characteristic of Alzheimer's disease," researcher
Sangram Sisodia said in a prepared statement.
His team's research focused on mice genetically engineered to mimic
early onset Alzheimer's disease in humans, including a similar clumping
of amyloid proteins around brain cells. Some of the mice frolicked in
the "enriched" environment, while the others were placed in less active,
less engaging surroundings.
Brain tissue levels of toxic b-amyloid tangles or plaques associated
with Alzheimer's were markedly lower in mice with the more
intellectually challenging environment, compared to their
less-stimulated counterparts, the researchers said.
Analysis of gene and enzyme expression in the enriched mice suggests
they may have been better equipped than the other mice to clear the b-amyloid
peptides out of their brains, the Chicago team explained in the March 11
issue of the journal Cell.
The findings suggest that an enriched environment acts as a protective
factor for the mice by keeping b-amyloid peptide levels low enough to
prevent them from clumping and causing damage.
The researchers believe physical activity may be a factor, too. The most
physically active mice had the largest reductions in b-amyloid peptides
and deposits, they noted. But they added that more research, with larger
numbers of mice, is required to determine exactly how an enriched
environment benefits the animals.
In the meantime, it certainly couldn't hurt for aging humans to get more
mentally and physically active. "It's all very important in keeping the
mind active and potentially staving off effects of old age," Sisodia
said.
The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more about Alzheimer's disease. |
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