Marie-Laure Caparros describes the epigenetic mechanisms that can delay dementia.

Ronald Reagan had it. Charles Bronson had it. Charlton Heston had it. We’re not talking about their mastery of cowboy gun fighting duels, but sadly Alzheimer’s disease. For most people, the idea of losing their memory, their capacity to learn – and ultimately, their independence – is a total nightmare. The truth of the matter is that Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are on the rise. In a population with an ever-increasing life expectancy, there is an inevitability that our bodies will succumb to degeneration, and the brain is no exception.