8. Can anything be done to prevent Alzheimer’s? Four main factors appear to increase a person's risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease: low education, head trauma, depression and genes. We can’t do anything about our genes (at least not yet), but we can do something about the other risk factors. Lifelong pursuit of education is very important in preventing Alzheimer’s. Wearing bicycle helmets and avoiding activities that carry a high risk of head trauma are also very important. We don’t totally understand why depression is a risk factor for this disease. Alzheimer’s is probably a genetic disease, but many people have the gene for Alzheimer's, and they don’t develop the disease. Something is triggering the expression of the gene. That may be where depression plays a role. It’s crucial to realize that depression is a medical problem that can be treated. About 70 percent of the time, a person's family and even primary care physicians don’t recognize depression. If you have symptoms of depression, seek evaluation and treatment.
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