While the primary risk factors of Alzheimer’s are age, family history, and genetics, there are other risk factors that you can influence. Maintaining a healthy heart and avoiding high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and high cholesterol can significantly decrease your risk. Watching your weight, avoiding tobacco and excess alcohol, staying socially connected, and exercising both your body and mind can also help protect against the disease.
Early-onset Alzheimer’s affects patients under the age of 65. This relatively rare condition is seen more often in patients whose parents or grandparents developed Alzheimer’s disease at a young age.