"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" never specified which type of doctor. As it turns out, the actual doctor is a neurosurgeon. A recent study published last week revealed that eating fruits prevents a host of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers at Cornell University found that neurons' likelihood of degeneration, which lends to symptoms of Alzheimer's, were significantly reduced in the presence of fruit extracts.

The studies, performed by Dr. Chang Yong Lee and his colleagues, suggest that the extracts contain antioxidants integral in preventing the onset of Alzheimer's.

"The components we have been working with (in vitro) are phenolic antioxidants, such as quercetin, anthocyanins and catechins," Lee said.

When asked what all the research he had performed meant, Lee said, "We think that daily consumption of fruits and vegetables that contain high amounts of these compounds may have beneficial effects on Alzheimer's disease."

The study was very cleverly performed. In the experiment, rat cells were purposely exposed to hydrogen peroxide, a technique developed by Lee, to cause oxidative stress, a process that is known to cause the development of Alzheimer's disease. When these damaged cells were treated with the antioxidants quercetin, anthocyanin and catechin, which is found in bananas, oranges and apples, the proportion of cells that died was reduced. Dr. Lee discovered that greater concentrations of fruit extract created greater protective effects.

Although the finding was promising in the laboratory, Dr. Lee explained that "a large scale human clinical study will be required in order to confirm our laboratory findings."

But until that point, the study still offers important proof that could be useful to us later in life. Interestingly enough, the study also showed that we can obtain the same preventative benefits by drinking apple juice.

The antioxidant quercetin is more prevalent in apple skins, but apples also contains a significant degree of this substance in the flesh, so the effects are still at work in Minute Maid apple juice.

Taking preventative steps is critical since the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's is particularly high: It turns out that Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting more than 5 million people in the United States today. Alzheimer's is usually diagnosed after age 65, but experts estimate that 500,000 people in the United States were diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's in their '50s, '40s and even '30s. In fact, one person in the United States. is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease every 72 seconds, on average.

Despite the widespread impact of this disease, physicians are often unaware that their patients may be presenting symptoms of Alzheimer's disease because symptoms of Alzheimer's mimic those related to normal aging.

"The family usually knows something is off," said Barbara Mascowitz, the coordinator of geriatric social work at Massachusetts General Hospital, "but some families are afraid to find out if it is really Alzheimer's because they know it cannot be treated."

Mascowitz specializes in helping families understand the complexity of Alzheimer's and assisting them in addressing the difficulties of living with someone with a progressive disease.

Alzheimer's has serious implications for students because it is a generational issue. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease is higher for people with a family history of the disease. Social workers and educators, such as Mazcowitz, warn that the hereditary link means grandchildren as well as grandparents must be educated about the disease. The most important issues to consider with this illness are the complications that can arise, such as falls, accidents and even infections like pneumonia.

In addition to these physical risks, patients also suffer an emotional vulnerability because they feel socially disconnected from the family. Patients cannot always articulate their needs and wants, and this can be very distressing to their close friends and family.

Alzheimer's disease requires a lot of emotional and physical support on behalf of the family.

"People of all ages have the power to affect how a family member with Alzheimer's experiences a fulfilling life," Mascowitz said. "To say 'I'll stay with Dad today' makes a big difference."

Head injuries, improper nutrition and lack of brain stimulation have also been linked to Alzheimer's, but these are risk factors that can be controlled on a daily basis. And the fruit extract study proves that eating more bananas, oranges and apples also play a significant role in reducing the chances of Alzheimer's disease.

The co-pays and doctor's visits can get pretty expensive for those who couldn't pay off their loans on time and still don't have a nice 401(k) plan. It would be much less expensive to take a preventative proactive step. Hitting the grocery store for some fruit cups might just save your life.