Why This Man May Hold Key to Curing Alzheimer's

By Shân Ross, The Scotsman

Scotland

August 13, 2007

Kenneth Smith pauses while locating a file on his computer to describe how scientists have been pursuing him, asking if he will donate his brain for medical research.

"They're not very shy about it - they just came right out and asked," the 86-year-old says.

But Mr Smith is no ordinary OAP. He is among a group of 11 men in their eighties known as the "elite old" - a group whose IQ is increasing with age and who have high levels of physical fitness.

Scientists hope by studying the men, all from the north-east of Scotland, they may unlock clues as to how people can stave off Alzheimer's disease.

With scientists predicting Alzheimer's will quadruple worldwide by 2050, affecting more than 106 million people, it is an increasingly important task.

Last night, Kate Fearnley, policy director of Alzheimer Scotland, said such research was vital to "prevent, postpone and reduce" the onset of the disease.

The elite group of pensioners was discovered by Lawrence Whalley, professor of mental health at Aberdeen University, after boxes containing birth records of people born in Aberdeen in 1921 during the months of January, February, June and July kept by a professor of anatomy came to light.

As these people were in the age range at risk of Alzheimer's disease Prof Whalley began a project looking for the early stages of dementia.

It was while the pensioners were undergoing physical and mental-agility tests - including MRI brain scans, psychometric testing and blood analysis - that the "elite old" were discovered.

Mr Smith, a widower, said:

"I was tested along with the rest of the 1921 cohort and word came back that I was an intellectual."

The retired retail manager described his lifestyle. "I go to bed early and I'm up at 6:30am. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with flashes of ideas for subjects I must investigate."

Breakfast consists of high-fibre cereal, fruit, tea with no sugar and toast minus butter. Main meals consist of fish or chicken with greens such as kale or spinach.

He allows himself the occasional small lager or a whisky on a Saturday night. Health-wise he takes cod liver oil capsules for mild arthritis. Mr Smith is a keen reader, enjoys crosswords and has a particular interest in science and archaeology.

Prof Whalley said a number of factors, both physiological and social, had contributed to the creation of the "elite old" men.

"Men of this generation have benefited disproportionately from steps to improve health in middle age.

"They got the lipid-lowering drugs and their heart-attack levels went down. So the physical health of these men has been maintained better to their eighth decade. The healthier you are when you start this decade, then it's pretty sure your brain gets less addled and does not 'rust' so easily.

"Equally important is that these men born in 1921 were 18 when the war broke out and social mobility was huge, giving once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to people in mundane jobs.

"These men's minds were also kept active in the workplace - working out calculations in factories and shops, writing reports. The higher the intelligence levels, the more likely people are to follow health advice.

Another factor is that if a man wants to live a long life, the most important thing he can do is marry a smart woman. Women are good life managers."

Ms Fearnley, of Alzheimer Scotland, said: "It's vital we find out more about what causes Alzheimer's disease and what it is that keeps people mentally healthy. This kind of research is an important avenue to explore."

A spokeswoman for the Alzheimer's Society said it was important for research to try to pinpoint which factors were relevant to individuals.

'PLUMBER' TECHNIQUE BRINGS HOPE

SCIENTISTS are using a plumber's approach to rid the brain of the toxins that plague Alzheimer's patients - simply soak the substance up.

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Centre in the US have found that the natural way of ridding the body of amyloid build-up is flawed in people with the disease.

They have now demonstrated in mice a way too fix the process, reducing levels of the toxic protein and stopping symptoms. Writing in Nature Medicine, the team tell how they focus on a protein in the body which soaks up amyloid-beta, which causes blockages in the brain that lead to Alzheimer's.

They found that the body's ability to soak up amyloid is increased by introducing more of the protein into the system. The brain responds and levels of the toxin plummet.

The researchers are now working on a form of the synthetic protein which could be tested in people.

RECIPE FOR A SMART OLD AGE

THE "elite old" men of north-east Scotland share the following:

• They were 18 when the Second World War started and benefited from the social mobility it brought. Some went from humble backgrounds to professions such as law and teaching.

• Full-time employment kept their minds active over the decades, with daily tasks such as doing calculations mentally, without the aid of calculators, and writing reports.

• They benefited disproportionately from the healthcare thinking of 20 to 25 years ago, focusing on men for illnesses such as heart attacks.

• They had intelligent wives who organised their social lives and helped them cope with stress. They tended to be members of clubs and on committees.

• They read widely, take up new interests, do crosswords and puzzles, play card games and are likely to be computer-literate.

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