Half of Alzheimer's cases could be preventable, scientists claim

Over half of all Alzheimer's disease cases could potentially be prevented, according to scientists.

Researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California - San Francisco found that changes to lifestyles and the treatment or prevention of chronic medical conditions could reduce instances of Alzheimer's.

In a study of research from around the world, the team identified that low education, smoking, physical inactivity, depression, mid-life hypertension, diabetes and mid-life obesity are the biggest modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease worldwide, linked to 51 per cent of cases.

"What's exciting is that this suggests that some very simple lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity and quitting smoking, could have a tremendous impact on preventing Alzheimer's and other dementias in the United States and worldwide," explained Dr Deborah Barnes, mental health researcher at the San Francisco VA Medical Center.

However, she added that further research by scientists is essential to ensure that the assumptions made by the figures are correct.