精东传媒

June 26, 2019

People living in rural areas may be at lower risk of Alzheimer's disease

Living near green spaces is associated with better cognition.

People who live in regional or remote areas may be at lower risk of developing Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, according to our .

Using data from more 260,000 adults in New South Wales who were aged 45 and over, we found those living in regional or remote areas of the state had a of being diagnosed with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease over 11 years, compared with their city counterparts.

We identified diagnosed Alzheimer鈥檚 disease using the first prescription of a group of medications collectively referred to as cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. These are prescribed after someone gains a mini-mental state examination score consistent with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, which is then confirmed by a specialist.

suggests people living in rural areas may be at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. But our results tell a different story.

The role of air pollution

Research has long told us that air pollution is bad for our health. Emerging research suggests air pollution could also play a role in the development of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease.

The problem isn鈥檛 just the stuff in the air you can see. The tiny particles you can鈥檛 see are the most harmful. Once you breathe them in, they can enter the bloodstream and travel to .

People living in Australia鈥檚 largest cities are generally exposed to , which could help to partly explain why we found a higher risk of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease it city dwellers.

But it鈥檚 unlikely to be the only factor.

What's happening in the brain?

Let鈥檚 consider the pathway by which many scientists think Alzheimer鈥檚 disease may develop, and then work backwards.

Many scientists, though not all, suggest Alzheimer鈥檚 disease coincides with 鈥� and may be caused by 鈥� an abnormal build-up of a particular type of protein, called amyloid beta peptide, in the brain.

Accumulating large amounts of amyloid beta peptide may create plaques that cause inflammation, destroy synapses, kill neurons and result in the death of brain cells consistent with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease.

If this hypothesis is correct, we鈥檙e looking for ways to reduce the abnormal accumulation of amyloid beta. Admittedly that is a big 鈥渋f鈥�, given largely disappointing outcomes of drug trials focused on clearing amyloid beta .

Research on mice suggests clear amyloid beta.

Studies in humans also suggest that regular physical activity and social interactions may help to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, potentially via amyloid beta reduction.

These things might be harder in cities

It鈥檚 not always easy to get a good night鈥檚 sleep. Studies suggest that co-occur within urban areas, such as chronic noise, air quality and heat may influence how much sleep you get and whether you feel sufficiently refreshed when you wake up.

Urban planning can in physical activity. Car-centred urban sprawl, for example, remains a major barrier in getting people walking and moving in many Australian cities.

Meanwhile, men and women over 65 living in Australia鈥檚 major cities were more likely than their regional peers to report a lack of social support. 

All of these factors, including air pollution, may contribute some explanation to the results of our study.

But it鈥檚 important to note that accessibility to health care may play a role. People in regional and remote NSW generally have to travel longer distances and have less choice than those based in cities. This may lead to lag times in the detection of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, which would affect our results.

Connect with nature, wherever you are

Living nearby more green space has been associated with better cognition among adults living in ,  and .

These studies are backed up by that show contact with nature can provide stress relief and lower blood pressure.

Public green spaces have the added benefit of providing spaces for outdoor social and physical recreation and may also help to .

Green space tends to be more abundant in regional and remote areas compared with major cities, which may help to explain why we found an elevated risk of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease in major cities.

But no matter whether you live in the country or city, try to make use of whatever green spaces you have around you. Relax in the garden or make regular visits to local parks 鈥� your older self will thank you for it.

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, Professor of Population Health and Environmental Data Science, NHMRC Boosting Dementia Research Leadership Fellow,  and , Associate Professor of Epidemiology and NHMRC Career Development Fellow, .

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license.

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