Increasing the Flow Of Blood To The Brain Could Prevent Alzheimer's

A restriction of blood flow carrying glucose to the brain may trigger a biological process that causes Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

The study says that when the brain doesn't get enough sugar glucose because of restricted blood flow, often due to cardiovascular disease, a process is launched that ultimately produces the sticky clumps of protein in the brain that scientists think cause Alzheimer's.

The findings are significant because they suggest increasing blood flow to the brain in older people could help prevent the onset of the disease.

The study is published in the Dec. 26 issue of the Journal Neuron.

"This finding is significant because it suggests that improving blood flow to the brain might be an effective therapeutic approach to prevent or treat Alzheimer's," said Robert Vassar, a professor of cell and molecular biology at the Feinberg School, and one of the study's lead authors.

Vassar things people can do to increase blood flow to the brain include getting more exercise, reducing hypertension and lowering cholesterol.

"If people start early enough, maybe they can dodge the bullet," Vassar said.