CAN YOUR THINKING LESSEN CHANCE OF ALZHEIMERS? ALTER CHEMICALS AND BRAIN PATHWAYS: STUDY SAYS YES

CAN YOUR THINKING LESSEN CHANCE OF ALZHEIMERS? ALTER CHEMICALS AND BRAIN PATHWAYS: A MORE AWARE ACTIVE CONSCIENTIOUS PERSONALITY SOMEHOW ALTERS THE BRAIN AND LESSEN ALZHEIMER RISK: A STUDY SUGGESTS HOW YOU THINK MAY IMPACT CHANCE OF ALZHEIMER

During the 1990s, the ranks of (people over 100) nearly doubled, from about 37,000 counted at the start of the decade, to more than an estimated 70,000 (in 2000). And analysts at the Census suggest that this per-decade doubling trend may continue, with the centenarian population possibly reaching 834,000 by the middle of the next century (2050).Census Report Shows Exponential Growth in Number of Centenarians

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A remarkable finding suggests that how you think may have an impact on whether you develop Alzheimers. How does what you think affect your brain? Could your thought affect chemical and neurological pathways in your brain? In a proportional hazards regression model adjusted for age, sex, and education, a high conscientiousness score (90th percentile) was associated with an 89% reduction in risk of Alzheimer disease compared with a low score (10th percentile) "A purposeful personality may somehow protect the brain, perhaps by increasing neural connections that can act as a reserve against mental decline, said study co-author Robert Wilson of Chicago's Rush University Medical Center".


Jean Calment at 119




"This adds to our knowledge that lifestyle, personality, how we think, feel and behave are very importantly tied up with risk for this terrible illness," Wilson said. "It may suggest new ideas for trying to delay the onset of this illness."


The study

Conscientiousness and the Incidence of Alzheimer Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment is in Archives of General Psychiatry.




"Renee Goodwin of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health was not involved in the new study but has done similar work that found a connection between conscientiousness and better health."It's having self-discipline and energy, doing the healthy things," Goodwin said".

Driven People May Avoid Alzheimer's




"The conscientiousness scores were based on how people rated themselves, on a scale of 0 to 4, on how much they agreed with statements such as: "I work hard to accomplish my goals," "I strive for excellence in everything I do," "I keep my belongings clean and neat" and "I'm pretty good about pacing myself so as to get things done on time."