Aging brain a crucial puzzle to solve

by John McPhee for the Chronicle Harold:

Dr. Melissa Andrew’s presentation on dementia includes a chart on predicted trends over the next 25 years.It’s a scary picture.The number of Canadians afflicted by dementia is expected to increase from the current 500,000 to about one million people by 2038. Most — about 700,000 — will be women.“We don’t have all the answers as to why women develop dementia more than men,” said Andrew, a Dalhousie University researcher who specializes in geriatric issues, at a workshop Friday in Halifax.The national group that sponsored the workshop was formed to help researchers like Andrew find those answers. The Women’s Brain Health Initiative, launched in May, raises money for gender-based studies and educates people about lifestyle changes to improve neurological health.“The research today still focuses on men,” said group founder Lynn Posluns before the workshop. “The same way they recognized 20 years ago that a man’s heart attack is different from a woman’s heart attack, you have to look at them separately (when it comes to brain health).”The Halifax workshop was part of a national tour called Mind Over Matter, organized by the group and sponsored by the financial firm Deloitte. It was attended by government health-care officials, including Health and Wellness Minister Leo Glavine, and non-government agencies such as the Alzheimer’s Society of Nova Scotia.In speaking about why women are more susceptible to dementia, Andrew said many factors may be at play. There’s the simple fact that women live longer than men and have more time to develop cognitive deterioration caused by diseases such as Alzheimer’s.A reduction in hormone levels in the post-menopause phase of life is another possibility.“Estrogen has important neuro-protective effects on the brain — it’s good for brain cells,” she said. “It’s a little-known fact that older men have a higher level of estrogen than post-menopausal women.”In her own research, Andrew explores the links between frailty — the overall burden of health problems such as chronic disease — and neurological health.“The more problems one has, the more frail one will be,” she said. “We know women are more frail than men, and we know that frailty is a risk factor in dementia.”So while the statistics are bleak, people can reduce their risk of dementia by keeping physically and socially active, Andrew said.One study on the benefits of aerobic exercise indicated that it can enlarge the part of the brain that controls memory at a time of life when it usually shrinks.“We need to advocate for people with dementia and their families. And on a policy level, we need a more co-ordinated response to this condition,” she said.The health minister agreed, saying there are gaps in the health-care system that must be addressed, given that about 700 people turn 65 every month in Nova Scotia.The province is developing a dementia strategy, which aims to reduce wait times, provide support for caregivers and ensure people remain independent as long as possible, Glavine said.