Sorting acts from ction

earchers in Tel Aviv University srael and Northwestern University linois, US, examined the effect of an act from cinnamon bark – not the e as the cinnamon spice you might in your local supermarket – on the mation of amyloid plaques, a telltale of Alzheimer’s disease. lthough the study showed t the extract from namon bark did p improve brain ction in mice, the levels cinnamon a person uld have to eat to replithe results would be so at it would actually be c,” says Dr Pickett. “We always say that if you want to try and reduce your risk of dementia, what is good for your heart is good for your head,” says Dr Pickett.

“Excluding other factors like genetics or pre-existing conditions, people who have a more sedentary lifestyle do tend to be more at risk of poor cardiovascular health, depression and diabetes, which are each major risk factors for dementia.”

From running to road-bike racing, from karate to country walks, there are many ways in which to exercise. Choose something that is accessible to you, which you enjoy and are likely to keep up. “This is one of the most common enquiries we get due to its well-documented health benefits,” says Dr Pickett. “But when it comes to coconut oil and dementia, there just isn’t enough research for us to say it definitely helps.”

The theory goes that brain cells in someone with Alzheimer’s are not as good at getting their energy from blood sugars as they would usually be in a healthy brain. Coconut oil is rumoured to be able to give the brain a boost by providing an alternative energy source for brain cells.

“The reality is that there is limited GET IN TOUCH

dding cinnamon to ur food will cure zheimer’s disease LSE

TV addicts are more at risk than gym bunnies TRUE

Coconut oil is a superfood that keeps your brain working properly FALSE

evidence to show this actually works,” adds Dr Pickett. “A trial into the relationship between coconut oil and dementia was started in the US, but was cancelled due to lack of participants. Without high-quality research, we can’t be sure that coconut oil is of any benefit.” Research by The Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention and care (2017) estimated that 8% of the total number of dementia cases could be reduced if everyone continued in education beyond the age of 15.

“This is because completing

FALSE TRUE

Women with dementia outnumber men almost two to one and brain cells die a lot faster in women than in men. But it isn’t simply because the female of the species tends to live longer.

“The truth is we don’t fully know why this is the case, but one of the main theories rests with the female hormone, oestrogen,” says Dr Pickett. “It has a protective effect on blood pressure and brain cognition, but during menopause women stop producing as much, which could explain why more women than men currently have dementia.”

Doing A levels lowers your risk

TRUE

Eating curry can prevent the illness

FALSE

A curry a day does not keep the doctor away. Curcumin, an extract of turmeric, has been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-amyloid (a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease) properties. However, this research was very early stage, and follow-up clinical trials found curcumin didn’t show any promise as a dementia treatment.

You are more likely to get dementia if one of your parents had it

FALSE

Most dementias are not passed down through the family, and more than 99% of Alzheimer’s disease cases are not hereditary. Genetic links are more common in rarer types of dementia, like FTD, but this makes up a tiny fraction of all cases.

“About 3% of people develop Alzheimer’s disease before they are 60 and in these instances it is most likely due to a faulty gene being passed through the family,” says Dr Pickett. ■■Alzheimer’s Society is a partner in Join Dementia Research (joindementia research.nihr.ac.uk), a nationwide service that allows people to register their interest in participating in dementia research and be matched to suitable studies. For more details on risk factors and dementia studies, visit alzheimers.org.uk or www.alzheimer.ie