It’s estimated that in the coming decades, approximately 450,000 veterans will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Veterans, especially VA-eligible veterans, are at a higher risk for developing dementia than the general public. Scientists have been unable to pinpoint the cause for this increased risk, but Dr. Cynthia Carlsson, a geriatrics provider at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital and researcher in the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, suggests it could be connected to an increased risk for vascular disease, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injuries.
The BRAVE-EPA Study is looking for ways to prevent or delay the disease, specifically through fish oil supplements. The study team will recruit 150 veterans, ages 50-75, with family history of dementia and collect data through cognitive tests, cerebral spinal fluid collection, and an MRI to measure blood flow in the brain. Half of participants will be given a high dose prescription of fish oil to test if it improves blood flow in the brain after 9 months and after 18 months.
“Brave Study looks at veterans and Alzheimer’s disease” aired on WISC-TV Channel 3 on Wednesday, November 15 and is available on channel3000.com.
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