Preventing "brain aging"

Geriatric neurologist and author tackles what he calls the myths of Alzheimer's.

By SARAH MORAN Special to the Star Tribune

Alzheimer's disease is a 100-year-old myth that's over the hill. So says Dr. Peter Whitehouse, a geriatric neurologist and author of "The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis."

Whitehouse, who played an important role in brain research that led to the first four medications designed to treat Alzheimer's, has replaced the term "Alzheimer's disease" with "severe brain aging." That distinction, he says, makes all the difference. He says we need to stop throwing money at searching for a cure to what he calls "age-associated cognitive challenges." Instead of medication, the focus should be on preventing brain aging through simple strategies such as exercise, reading and eating right, he says.

We talked with Whitehouse ahead of his visit to the Twin Cities this week.

Q What myths do you want to dispel?
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