Alzheimers Research Paper
Effects of Diet, Exercise & Cognitive Stimulation on Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease
Jake Summers
University of Missouri
Abstract The purpose of this literature review is to assess the connection between diet, exercise and their role on the progression of Alzheimer disease. For this review, five articles will be evaluated that contain the research aimed at discovering how proper diet, light to vigorous physical activity and cognitive stimulation can positively influence the progression of AD. Throughout these articles a variety of surveys, cognitive tests, and physical exercise programs were implemented to grasp the relationship of these lifestyle factors. Some of the results are yet to be distinguished and need further inspecting. Mild leisure activities have yet to prove they affect the progression of Alzheimer’s, though physical exercise and healthy dieting prove to play a vital role. Keywords: disease, cognitive, exercise, diet, dementia
To begin, this review will examine if distinct lifestyle factors play a positive role in Alzheimer disease (AD), which is considered to be one of the most progressive, degenerating diseases today. Specifically, this review will research the effects that diet, exercise and cognitive training have on the health, intellectual ability and overall mood of the patients as the disease proceeds. This disease effects an estimated 5.1 million Americans, most of which are over the age of 65. The disease primarily affects the patients’ memory, cerebral ability and behavior. With time, the disease drastically worsens until the patients are unable to care for themselves, becoming entirely dependent on a caregiver. Causes of the disease have been dissected in every which way, genetically and environmentally. Investigating the research being conducted will give a better idea of whether certain diet plans and training programs slow down the rate of cognitive decline on individuals with Alzheimer disease.
Jake Summers
University of Missouri
Abstract The purpose of this literature review is to assess the connection between diet, exercise and their role on the progression of Alzheimer disease. For this review, five articles will be evaluated that contain the research aimed at discovering how proper diet, light to vigorous physical activity and cognitive stimulation can positively influence the progression of AD. Throughout these articles a variety of surveys, cognitive tests, and physical exercise programs were implemented to grasp the relationship of these lifestyle factors. Some of the results are yet to be distinguished and need further inspecting. Mild leisure activities have yet to prove they affect the progression of Alzheimer’s, though physical exercise and healthy dieting prove to play a vital role. Keywords: disease, cognitive, exercise, diet, dementia
To begin, this review will examine if distinct lifestyle factors play a positive role in Alzheimer disease (AD), which is considered to be one of the most progressive, degenerating diseases today. Specifically, this review will research the effects that diet, exercise and cognitive training have on the health, intellectual ability and overall mood of the patients as the disease proceeds. This disease effects an estimated 5.1 million Americans, most of which are over the age of 65. The disease primarily affects the patients’ memory, cerebral ability and behavior. With time, the disease drastically worsens until the patients are unable to care for themselves, becoming entirely dependent on a caregiver. Causes of the disease have been dissected in every which way, genetically and environmentally. Investigating the research being conducted will give a better idea of whether certain diet plans and training programs slow down the rate of cognitive decline on individuals with Alzheimer disease.
References: Geda Y. E., Roberts R. O., Knopman D. S., Christianson T. J. H., Pankratz, S., Ivnik R. J., & Rocca W. A., (2010). Physical exercise, aging and mild cognitive impairment. Archives of Neurology, 67, 80-86. Scarmeas, N., Luchsinger J. A., Schupf, N., Brickman A. M., Cosentino, S., Tang, M. X., & Yaakov, S. (2009). Physical activity, diet, and risk of Alzheimer disease. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 307, 627-637. Spector, A., Thorgrimsen, L., Woods, B., Royan, L., Davies, S., Butterworth, M., & Orrell, M. (2003). Efficacy of an evidence-based cognitive stimulation therapy programme for people with dementia: Randomised controlled trial. British Journal Of Psychiatry, 183, 248-254. Verghese, J., Lipton R. B., Katz M. J., Hall C. B., Derby C. A., Kuslansky G., & Buschke, H. (2003). Leisure Activities and the risk of dementia in the elderly. The New England Journal of Medicine, 2508-2516. Williams, L. C., Tappen, M. R., (2007). Effect of exercise on mood in nursing home residents with Alzheimer’s disease. Amercian Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias, 22, 389-397.