YES - Can Alzheimer’s onset be offset?

YES - Can Alzheimer’s onset be offset?

As Alzheimer’s affects over 5 million Americans (Alzheimer’s Association, 2005), a number that is expected to rapidly increase, knowledge about Alzheimer’s causes and prevention techniques are valuable. For this study, Alzheimer’s death rates on a county level were compared with variables relating to population density, such as housing density, housing structure, i.e. multiple units, and population density itself. These variables were under the category of “Living Density.” An inverse correlation was found between population density and Alzheimer’s disease death rates of r = -0.6674. Other correlations were found between persons per household, r = -0.3443, percent of total housing that is composed of multiple units, r = -0.6198, and owner occupied housing, r = 0.6385. Similar correlations are seen on a national level. Such correlations are suggestive of a connection between living density and possibly mental stimulation and Alzheimer’s prevalence, potentially dictating regional education and prevention methods for Alzheimer’s disease.

Others have long speculated about a potential connection between mental stimulation and Alzheimer’s death rates, as it was theorized that mental stimulation prevents synapses in one’s brain from breaking down. No formal studies have been conducted yet, however this preliminary research suggests that there may be benefits lurking ina future studies.