Dementia Japan 19：199-210, 2005

Environmental risk factors for Alzheimer's Disease

Naomi Yatomi

Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology

　　This article refers to environmental risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), mainly focusing on changeable life style.　The mechanisms of risk factors to incidence of AD are discussed. Many epidemiological studies have revealed that the exercise habit, the intake of antioxidant components and unsaturated fatty acids are significant risk/protective factors of AD.　The buffering mechanisms act through some pathway reducing of the deposition of amyloid-β.　The smoking is a risk factor which is mediated by vascular factors.　Education, occupation, social network, intellectual leisure activities are also risk/buffering factors.　These findings were in agreement with cognitive reserve theory.

Address correspondence to Naomi Yatomi, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology (35-2, Sakaecho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan)