Premature senility

In recent years increasing attention has been paid to the possibility of delaying or even reversing the memory loss that accompanies old age or the more tragic loss of human capabilities associated with premature senility - Alzheimer s disease. Progress is hampered by the difficulty of identifying suitable animal tests, and there is presently no reliable therapy. 

Another example of a potential imbalance is the substitution of heat-processed polyunsaturated fats for saturated fats without the addition of vitamin E to the diet. The natural sources of these fats are plant seeds which usually contain ample amounts of vitamin E. But the vitamin E is easily destroyed in the extracted oils by exposure to heat, light, and oxygen. Although severe deficiencies of vitamin E are rare, marginal deficiencies may, over a long period, be responsible for cellular damage and premature senility. Both disorders may be caused by the peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which is prevented by vitamin E. 

Along with a superior diet, it has been found that remaining active and involv, with a positive rather than a negative attitude to life, can be helpful in delaying any onset of senile dementia, whether it develops prematurely or in old age. 

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