Exercise and stimulation of the brain may help ward off Alzheimer’s disease, according to Dr. Tanzi and Dr. Gandy, both Cure Alzheimer’s Fund Research Consortium members who were recently quoted in an article in the AARP Bulletin.
 
“Exercise is number one,” says Rudolph Tanzi, director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. “What seems to happen is, during exercise, the brain turns on the enzymes that break down the amyloid,” he says, “so for prevention, I think the strongest data comes with physical exercise.”
 
“How do you compare crossword puzzles with violin playing? Which is better? How many times per day? How many days per week?” says Gandy. “It is easy to reduce physical activity to a prescription, but harder to do the same for mental exercise.”
 
To read the full AARP article, click here.