Wine for Alzheimer's?

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The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]


University of Rochester Medical Center

A new study shows how a daily glass of wine helps clean the brain of Alzheimer's plaque. 

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While a couple of glasses of wine can help clear the mind after a busy day, new research shows that it may actually help clean the mind as well. The new study, which appears in the journal Scientific Reports, shows that low levels of alcohol consumption tamp down inflammation and helps the brain clear away toxins, including those associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

“Prolonged intake of excessive amounts of ethanol is known to have adverse effects on the central nervous system,” said Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., co-director of the Center for Translational Neuromedicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) and lead author of the study.  “However, in this study we have shown for the first time that low doses of alcohol are potentially beneficial to brain health, namely it improves the brain’s ability to remove waste.”

The finding adds to a growing body of research that point to the health benefits of low doses of alcohol. While excessive consumption of alcohol is a well-documented health hazard, many studies have linked lower levels of drinking with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases as well as a number of cancers.

Nedergaard’s research focuses on the glymphatic system, the brain’s unique cleaning process that was first described by Nedergaard and her colleagues in 2012.  They showed how cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) is pumped into brain tissue and flushes away waste, including the proteins beta amyloid and tau that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.  Subsequent research has shown that the glymphatic system is more active while we sleep, can be damaged by stroke and trauma, and improves with exercise.

The new study, which was conducted in mice, looked at the impact of both acute and chronic alcohol exposure.  When they studied the brains of animals exposed to high levels of alcohol over a long period of time, the researchers observed high levels of a molecular marker for inflammation, particularly in cells called astrocytes which are key regulators of the glymphatic system.  They also noted impairment of the animal’s cognitive abilities and motor skills.

Animals that were exposed to low levels of alcohol consumption, analogous to approximately 2 ½ drinks per day, actually showed less inflammation in the brain and their glymphatic system was more efficient in moving CSF through the brain and removing waste, compared to control mice who were not exposed to alcohol.  The low dose animals’ performance in the cognitive and motor tests was identical to the controls.

“The data on the effects of alcohol on the glymphatic system seemingly matches the J-shaped model relating to the dose effects of alcohol on general health and mortality, whereby low doses of alcohol are beneficial, while excessive consumption is detrimental to overall health” said Nedergaard.  “Studies have shown that low-to-moderate alcohol intake is associated with a lesser risk of dementia, while heavy drinking for many years confers an increased risk of cognitive decline.  This study may help explain why this occurs.  Specifically, low doses of alcohol appear to improve overall brain health.”

Additional co-authors include Iben Lundgaard, Wei Wang, Allison Eberhardt, Hanna Vinitsky, Benjamin Reeves, Sisi Peng, Nanhong Lou, and Rashid Hussein with URMC.  Nedergaard maintains research labs at both URMC and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.  The study was funding with support from the Department of Navy’s Office of Naval Research, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and the National Institute on Aging.

SOURCE:

• University of Rochester Medical Center

5 foods to prevent dementia

Caregivers and healthcare professionals, here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition

By Vicky Hallett, The Washington Post

Metro Creative

We love our hearts. But what are our brains — chopped liver? Neal Barnard, an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, says how we eat can improve not just the function of our tickers, but also the longevity of our noggins.
In his new book, “Power Foods for the Brain” ($27), and his PBS special, “Protect Your Memory” (debuting on public television on Saturday; check local listings), he outlines his nutrition plan to stave off Alzheimer’s and dementia. Barnard took us shopping to point out some smart choices. And, no, chopped liver wasn’t one of them.
— Walnuts: Vitamin E can be a brain booster, Barnard says, noting a Dutch study that showed that people with the most vitamin E in their diets cut their risk of Alzheimer’s by 25 percent. The best sources are nuts and seeds. Barnard generally opts for walnuts, which he enjoys shaved over a salad. (That also helps him limit his intake so he doesn’t overdo it with calories.)
— Blueberries: “None of these have any cholesterol,” he says, waving at the produce display. And that’s important for the brain because clogged-up arteries translate into reduced mental function. But he’s particularly fond of this antioxidant-rich fruit that’s been shown (in a small study) to help people with memory problems.
— Broccoli: Folate sounds like foliage, which is what it is, Barnard says. And in combination with vitamins B6 and B12 (which he recommends taking supplements of), it can eliminate homocysteine — a destructive molecule that messes with the heart and brain.
— Sweet Potatoes: Wondering how to get your B6? Throw some of these root veggies into your basket. (Bananas are another good source.) Barnard says they’re a staple in the diet in Okinawa, a place where people have been found to have exceptional brain function in old age.
— Wine: Too much vino can mess with memory, obviously. But a glass or two a night has been shown to cut Alzheimer’s risk significantly. In theory, red wine is the better choice, Barnard says, because the resveratrol it contains may be good for your heart. But when it comes to the brain, a glass of any alcohol appears to offer similar protection.

Wine may protect against dementia

There may be constituents in wine that protect against dementia. This is shown in research from the Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

The findings are based on 1,458 women who were included in the so-called Population Study of Women from 1968. When they were examined by physicians they were asked to report how often they drank wine, beer, and liquor by selecting from seven categories on a scale from ‘never’ to ‘daily.’ The researchers know nothing about how much they drank on each occasion, or how correct the estimates were. For each beverage the women reported having drunk more than once a month, they were classified as a consumer of that particular beverage.

Thirty-four years after the first study, 162 women had been diagnosed with dementia. The results show that among those women who reported that they drank wine a considerably lower proportion suffered from dementia, whereas this correlation was not found among those who had reported that they regularly drank beer or liquor
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