Brains, which generate all behaviours as well as thoughts and emotions, don’t exist in isolation. Rather, they’re in a dynamic bidirectional interplay with our bodies. This has major implications for the health of both our brains and bodies, as well as a vast array of diseases of brain, mind and body.
Like all brain disorders, dementia results from a complex combination of genes and environments; nature and nurture. We now know that healthy lifestyles, including a balanced, nutritious diet and high levels of physical activity and mental stimulation, can help protect from diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Similarly, recent studies performed in disease models (involving laboratory mice and rats) that examine cause and effect suggest specific negative environmental factors, including high levels of chronic stress, may accelerate the onset of dementia associated with genetically-induced brain degeneration. This could, perhaps, relate to the negative aspects of a highly cynical mindset.
[For more of this story, written by Anthony Hannan, go to http://theconversation.com/min...sk-of-dementia-27337]
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