How to prevent the onset of dementia

Research has revealed a number of factors that may be able to prevent or delay the onset of dementia in some people. For example, people who maintain tight control over their glucose levels tend to score better on tests of cognitive function than those with poorly controlled diabetes. 

People who engage in intellectually stimulating activities, such as social interactions, chess, crossword puzzles or playing a musical instrument, can significantly lower their risk of developing AD and other forms of dementia. 

Thus mental activities may stimulate the brain in a way that increases the person's "cognitive reserve" - the ability to cope with or compensate for the pathologic changes associated with dementia. 

Besides, some herbs such as Ginkgo, Bacopa and Gutu Kola are found to have some effect on improving cognition in dementia patients.

In addition, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that brain cells contract significantly during sleep, expanding the area between cells by as much as 60 percent. This increase in the space between cells enables greater flow of cerebrospinal fluid, increasing the removal of beta-amyloid proteins. The accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins in the brain is believed to be a primary contributor to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, a leading cause of dementia in the elderly.