Underweight Seniors May Have Added Alzheimer’s Risk

Having a lower weight may increase older adults’ risk of the memory-robbing disorder Alzheimer’s disease, new research suggests. The study included 280 healthy people aged 62 to 90 with normal mental function. The participants underwent physical exams, genetic testing and brain scans. According to the researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, there was a link between lower body weight and more extensive deposits of Alzheimer’s-related beta-amyloid protein in the brain. This link was particularly strong in people with the APOE4 gene variant, which is known to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s, the study authors reported. The association seen in the study doesn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship. Further research is needed to learn more about the connection between lower body weight and increased amyloid levels, the investigators noted.

Source/more: Health Day

David Wingate is an elder law attorney at the Elder Law Office of David Wingate, LLC. The elder law office services clients with powers of attorneys, living wills, Wills, Trusts, Medicaid and asset protection. The Elder Law office has locations in Frederick and Montgomery Counties, Maryland.