#Alzheimer's - new research reveals risk and protection factors.

One in three cases of Alzheimer's disease worldwide could be prevented according to a new study from the University of Cambridge, UK. In an article published in The Lancet Neurology, a team of British scientists analyzed data from population-based surveys to discover the main risk factors for developing the disease. 

While age is the major risk factor for most cases of Alzheimer's, there are several factors that can increase or decrease the chances of a person to develop the disease, such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, physical inactivity, depression, smoking and low level of education. According to the scientists, one third of Alzheimer's cases may be connected to factors linked to the lifestyle of patients, which can be modified. These factors are often associated; for example, the reduction of dedentarism also decreases, as consequence, the rates of obesity, hypertension and diabetes. 

The researchers then looked at how to reduce these risk factors could affect the number of cases of the disease in the future. They found that by reducing each risk factor in 10%, nearly nine million cases of the disease could be prevented by 2050. Current estimates suggest that over 106 million people worldwide will live with Alzheimer's in 2050, more than three times the number of people affected in 2010. 

Among the risk factors, the highest proportion of cases of Alzheimer's in the United States, Britain and elsewhere in Europe can be attributed to physical inactivity. According to the study, one third of the adult population of these countries do not practice physical activities. In conclusion, although there is not a single way to prevent the disease, some changes in habits and lifestyle mayi, in the future, reduce the risk of dementia in old age.