January is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness month. On January 30, 2016, UBC will be host to the “2016 Alzheimer Update“. This free, public event will feature talks on lifestyle interventions, novel biological insights and new therapeutic directions being explored in AD research.
Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose
We caught up with Teresa Liu-Ambrose, Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, to ask her about her interest in AD, how exercise can help and what she feels is important for people to know about brain health. Dr. Liu-Ambrose’s presentation at this year’s event is entitled: “Exercise and the Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer Disease.”
Tell us about your background and research endeavors.
I am a licensed physical therapist who practiced for six years before returning to graduate school to pursue a career in research. My research focuses on understanding on defining the role of exercise in promoting cognitive and mobility outcomes in older adults.
What interests you about Alzheimer’s Disease?
On a personal level, like many families, mine has a history of Alzheimer’s Disease. It is difficult not to develop an interest in AD when you have watched an individual progress through the different stages of the disease. From an academic perspective, I always had a strong interest in neuroscience — understanding how the brain works, or how it doesn’t work, is fascinating.
How can exercise work to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease?
We now appreciate that many of the risk factors for Alzheimer’s Disease, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, can be mitigated by regular exercise. As well, large population studies provide evidence to suggest that regular exercise preserves the structural characteristics of your brain – such as brain volume and brain wiring. By preserving volume and wiring, the brain may be more resilient to the negative effects of aging and neurodegeneration.
How can exercise work to treat Alzheimer’s Disease?
More studies are required to answer this question. However, emerging evidence suggests that exercise may treat AD by slowing down the progression of the disease. For example, it has been shown that aerobic exercise can increase the volume of the hippocampus (key area in the brain that is impacted by AD and responsible for memory), improve memory performance, as well as reduce phosphorylated tau protein levels. Scientists use tau proteins as a measure of how AD is progressing.
What advice would you give to individuals around the maintenance of a healthy mind?
The advice is simple but powerful – keep active on a regular basis, protect your sleep, and maintain a healthy weight. Take the time to socialize with your friends. I also want to highlight that exercise does not have necessarily mean running 10K or doing dead-lifts. Evidence suggests that even briskly walking 10 blocks or 2.5 times around a standard track can be neuroprotective.
January is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. What is the one thing you wish more people were aware of regarding this disease?
For the majority, Alzheimer’s Disease is a condition that takes years in the making. Thus, it is never too early to start thinking about your brain health. In fact, many of the risk factors for AD develop in midlife. Take the time for yourself – it is worth the investment.
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Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, and Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity, Mobility, and Cognitive Neuroscience. She is the Research Director of the Vancouver General Hospital Falls Prevention Clinic and Director of the Aging, Mobility, and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, and an associate member of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health and the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility.
Find more information on the 2016 Alzheimer Update event here.