Exercise in the Fight Against Alzheimer's

This is the sixth lecture in a six part series offered by the UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center for the Sacramento metropolitan area and communities throughout Northern California. The theme of this year’s series is healthy brain aging and prevention. Six lectures, planned around this theme, include preventative information on healthy brain aging, vitamins and supplements, diet, alternative medicine approaches, social interaction and exercise.

With increasing numbers of adults living longer, the prevalence of cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and related disorders is on the rise. These declines in functional abilities and quality of life have resulted in a growing emphasis on maintaining brain health. Dr. Jeff Burns will discuss evidence that physical exercise is beneficial for the brain and may be a viable prevention strategy and therapeutic approach for treating Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, Dr. Burns will discuss research advances that are paving the way for a day when Alzheimer’s may be diagnosed before the onset of symptoms to allow doctors to intervene, slow or even stop the disease before it starts.

Dr. Burns is a Professor of Neurology and co-Director of the Kansas University Alzheimer’s Disease Center. He also directs the Frontiers Clinical and Translational Science Unit and the Alzheimer and Memory Clinic. Dr. Burns’ research program supports testing new approaches to treating Alzheimer’s disease with a focus on how lifestyle issues such as diet and exercise can be used to prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.