Vascular risk factors, alcohol intake, and cognitive decline

• Published in: The Journal of nutrition, health & aging Vol. 12; no. 6; pp. 376 - 381
• Main Authors: Panza, F., Capurso, C., D’Introno, A., Colacicco, A. M., Frisardi, V., Santamato, A., Ranieri, M., Fiore, P., Vendemiale, G., Seripa, D., Pilotto, A., Capurso, A., Solfrizzi, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Springer-Verlag 01.06.2008; Serdi; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Alcohol; Alcohol Drinking - adverse effects; Alzheimer's disease; Biological and medical sciences; Body mass index; Cardiovascular disease; Causality; Cholesterol; Cognition Disorders - epidemiology; Cognition Disorders - prevention & control; Cognitive ability; Comorbidity; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Dementia; Dementia - epidemiology; Dementia - prevention & control; Disease prevention; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geriatrics/Gerontology; Humans; Hypertension; Italy - epidemiology; Life Style; Lifestyles; Longitudinal Studies; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic diseases; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - epidemiology; Metabolic Syndrome - physiopathology; Miscellaneous; Neurology; Neurosciences; Nutrition; Other metabolic disorders; Population; Primary Care Medicine; Quality of Life Research; Risk Factors; Stroke; Triglycerides; Vascular Diseases - epidemiology; Vascular Diseases - physiopathology; Vein & artery diseases; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; metabolic syndrome; Alzheimer’s disease; predementia syndromes; vascular dementia; Alcohol; dementia; mild cognitive impairment; vascular risk factors; Endocrinopathy; Consumption; Nervous system diseases; Vascular dementia; Cognitive disorder; Nutrition; Alzheimer disease; Cardiovascular disease; Metabolic diseases; Metabolic syndrome; Cerebral disorder; Blood vessel; Central nervous system disease; Risk factor; Degenerative disease; Circulatory system; Alzheimer's disease; Cerebrovascular disease
• ISSN: 1279-7707; 1760-4788
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02982669

Since the therapeutic options currently available have demonstrated limited efficacy, the search for preventive strategies for cognitive decline and dementia is mandatory. A possible role of vascular and lifestyle-related factors was recently proposed for age-related changes of cognitive function, predementia syndromes, and cognitive decline of degenerative (Alzheimer’s disease, AD) or vascular origin. At present, cumulative evidence suggested that vascular risk factors may be important in the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), dementia, and AD. Among vascular-related factors, metabolic syndrome has been associated with the risk of cognitive decline and overall dementia. Moderate alcohol drinking has been proposed as a protective factor against MCI and dementia in several longitudinal studies, but contrasting findings also exist. However, in most cases, these were only observational studies, and results are awaited from large multicenter randomized clinical trials in older persons. At present, vascular risk factor management, lifestyle changes, and drugs could be employed together to delay the onset of dementia syndromes.