Prevention Research Explained
Made up of researchers from varied backgrounds and areas of focus, prevention research helps determines risk factors that put someone at risk of developing a particular condition, illness, or disease. It’s used to assess the associated health risks and recommend various preventative measures to help prevent those from developing that medical condition. Prevention research includes clinical trials that:
- Recognize and evaluate risk and protective factors.
- Screen and identify specific people and groups at risk.
- Create and assess interventions to minimize risk
- Translate, enforce, and spread effective preventive interventions into practice.
- Develop a procedure to aid prevention research.
As clinical research continues to evolve, prevention studies have become a more standard research method. This is common for diseases with no definitive cure, like Alzheimer’s.
Where Prevention Research & Alzheimer’s Meet Possibility
Alzheimer’s research has begun to shift its approach to treatment. They are now questioning the effectiveness of current medication(s) and aiming to target their focus toward risk reduction and prevention. Numerous studies have been and continue to be conducted on Alzheimer’s prevention. While nothing has yet to prove the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, results have still shown much promise. This signifies the possibility of preventing or delaying memory loss and other dementia symptoms if early intervention occurs. In more recent findings, a group of experts from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) discovered encouraging proof for three forms of prevention:
- Blood pressure management – Multiple studies have shown an overlap between Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease patients. While lowering blood pressure does not broadly impact dementia, it did have a notable effect on mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a recurrent antecedent of Alzheimer’s.
- Cognitive training – Through cognitive training, the accuracy and speed of the task a person is trained in can potentially be improved. This can be a considerable advancement if research can establish the effectiveness of such training with essential daily activities such as remembering to take medication and even driving.
- Increased physical activity– From observational studies conducted over the years, we’ve learned that those who implement routine exercise experience less of a decline in cognition than those who don’t. In addition, fewer Alzheimer’s plaques have also been linked to physical activity.
Alzheimer’s Prevention Research
One of the great misconceptions associated with Alzheimer’s is that there’s nothing the patient can do to protect their brain. Researchers have learned that combining a few preventative habits can significantly lower patient risk. As research evolves, so should hope for those affected.
As one of the top research sites for Alzheimer’s prevention study enrollment, we are continuing research efforts to hopefully bring us one step closer to a cure. Click here and find out if you or a loved one might qualify for current studies! Here at North Georgia Clinical Research, we aim to stay connected; give us a call at (678) 494 – 5735 or visit our website for the latest!
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3618690/
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/research_progress/prevention
