Feed your mind: Can you reduce your risk of Alzheimer's?

Next, we heard about food and the brain. While it might seem that way, Alzheimer's disease - the most common form of dementia - is not an inevitable consequence of aging, Dr Lisa Mosconi from the school of medicine at New York University, told delegates.

Indeed, while around 1% of cases of Alzheimer's are clearly genetically determined; and around 30% of us have a higher risk of developing it owing to our genotype (eg. people with a particular variant - ApoE4 - of a gene associated with lipid metabolism are believed to have a heightened risk); the vast majority of cases (69%) are entirely preventable, and arise from poor diet and lifestyle, she claimed.

"Genes load the gun but lifestyle pulls the trigger."​

And while not smoking, drinking too much and exercising regularly are key, eating a healthy diet is also critical in modifying your risk, she said, noting that people with a poor diet have smaller (more shrunken) brains than counterparts on a healthier Mediterranean diet rich in healthy fats from nuts and olive oil, legumes, fruits and vegetables.