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How may physical activity and social interaction impact the risk of frontotemporal dementia in low- and middle-income countries?
Faheem Arshad, D.M.
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
Bengaluru, India
Background
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a group of brain diseases characterized by the early onset of dementia (occurring by one's 40s or 50s) along with changes in personality and emotions and difficulty in understanding language. These diseases get their name since they impact the brain’s frontal lobes (areas behind your forehead) and temporal lobes (regions behind your ears). Because FTD is a progressive disorder, researchers are looking for ways to prevent the disease or slow its progression before symptoms become evident.
Studies have found that physical activity and a healthy social life may moderate the development of certain types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s. Little research, however, has been done on the impact of lifestyle factors on FTD. Such research could be especially beneficial for populations where low levels of physical activity and social interaction are common, including low- and middle-income countries.
Research Plan
Dr. Faheem Arshad and colleagues will examine how activity levels and social interaction in early to mid-life impact FTD risk among older individuals in India and the United States. They will recruit 90 older individuals with FTD from an Indian hospital clinic, as well as 40 individuals from their own clinic in the United States. Using interviews and medical records, the researchers will assess each participant’s history of physical activity, the extent of their social network, and any lifestyle-related loss of vascular (blood vessel) health. Then, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans and cognitive tests, they will determine whether higher levels of activity and social interaction, along with better vascular health, may promote a slower progression of FTD and FTD-related losses in memory and brain thickness. They will also determine whether a particular vascular disease called small vessel cerebrovascular disease (a disorder of tiny blood vessels in the brain) may also be associated with FTD progression in their participants.
Impact
The results of this project could shed new light on the role of modifiable lifestyle factors in FTD. They could also lead to novel, cost-effective lifestyle strategies for preventing or treating FTD in vulnerable population groups around the world.
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