Study finds 1 in 10 Americans over the age of 65 have dementia

CNN
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A new study conducted in 2016-2017 found that 1 in 10 Americans over the age of 65 had dementia, and 22% experienced mild cognitive impairment.

The research The authors present the first national cognitive impairment prevalence survey in more than 20 years that allows the prevalence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment to be measured by age, education, ethnicity, gender and race. said.

As a result, older adults who self-identify as Black or African-American are more likely to develop dementia, while older adults who self-identify as Hispanic are likely to suffer from mild cognitive impairment. was shown to be high. Those without high school education were more likely to have both conditions.

“Dementia research has generally focused primarily on college-educated people racialized as white,” said lead author Jennifer Manley in a statement. .

“This study is representative of a population of older adults, historically excluded from dementia research, who are at high risk of developing cognitive impairment due to structural racism and income inequality. groups,” said Manley, a professor of neuropsychology at Gertrude H. The Sergievsky Center and the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University.

“If you’re interested in improving equity for brain health in old age, you need to know where you stand now and where to direct your resources,” said Manley.

the study, Published Monday in the journal JAMA Neurologyanalyzed data from extensive neuropsychological tests and interviews with approximately 3,500 people aged 65 and over. Health and Retirement Researcha long-term research project sponsored by the National Institute on Aging and the Social Security Administration.

This study is based on a randomly selected sample of people from the study who completed a core survey and underwent a neurological examination between June 2016 and October 2017.

The study found that 15% of people who identified as black had tested positive for dementia and 22% had mild cognitive decline. Her 10% of people identified as Hispanic had dementia, but the rate of mild problems was higher, with 28% testing positive for mild cognitive impairment. Caucasian, 9% of her had dementia and 21% had mild cognitive impairment.

There was a big difference in academic performance, which experts believe protects against cognitive decline. 13% of those who never received a high school diploma. Twenty-one percent of college graduates aged 65 and older showed mild cognitive decline, compared with 30% of high school graduates.

Extremely old people had the highest rates of dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Only 3% of adults aged 65 to 69 had dementia, compared with 35% of adults aged 90 and over.

in fact all According to the report, the risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment increases with each five years of age.However, the study found no difference between men and women in the proportion of either condition

Symptoms of mild cognitive impairment include losing things, forgetting to do things or go to appointments, and having trouble coming up with words. Loss of smell and taste, and movement problems can also be symptoms. National Institute on Aging.

People with mild cognitive impairment can take care of themselves, says Laura Baker, professor of gerontology and geriatrics at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem. , North Carolina, told CNN in an earlier interview. She was not involved in the current study.

People with mild cognitive impairment may not remember where they should be, Baker said. let’s check another calendar oh i can’t find that calendar i lost my phone where is the key i can’t find the key they regroup early and get things done You can do it, but the cost is immense.”

Not everyone with mild cognitive impairment develops dementia, but many do, experts say.Lifestyle changes could be the key to reversing mental decline. 2019 survey diet remedy, exercise, Stress Reduction and Sleep Hygiene – Not only did it stop cognitive decline in people at risk for Alzheimer’s disease, it actually improved their memory and thinking skills over 18 months.Females responded better than males Found a follow-up.

a study in february Approximately one-third of women aged 75 years and older with mild cognitive impairment reversed their progression to dementia at some point during follow-up. He had excellent writing skills, which experts call “cognitive reserve.”

Symptoms of dementia vary from person to person and include memory loss or confusion, difficulty speaking, understanding and expressing thoughts, and difficulty reading and writing. According to the National Institutes of Health.

People with dementia may act impulsively or have poor judgment, which can make it difficult to pay bills and handle money responsibly.they may repeat Question, uses strange language to refer to familiar objects and takes longer than usual to complete daily tasks.

Wandering or getting lost in familiar neighborhoods is another sign of dementia, losing interest in everyday activities and events, and even acting like you don’t care about other people’s feelings. It is the same. They may lose their balance or have other problems with movement. People with dementia may hallucinate and experience delusions and paranoia.

Alzheimer’s disease is the best-known cause of dementia, but cognitive problems can be caused by problems in blood vessels that block blood flow to the brain, or by small strokes caused by tiny blood clots that travel to the brain. there is. frontal lobe dementiais a rare form thought to be associated with abnormal amounts of the proteins tau and TDP-43 and often begins in people under the age of 60. Dementia with Lewy bodiesis thought to be caused by abnormal deposits of the protein α-synuclein called Lewy bodies.

According to the NIH, anyone with cognitive decline or signs of dementia needs a full review by a neurologist to determine the underlying cause. Side effects of many medications can mimic dementia as well as certain diseases such as: Huntington’s disease.

If you have just been diagnosed with dementia, continue to see your doctor or specialist and consider requesting a referral to a memory clinic. National Institutes of Health. Contact your region Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and think participate in a clinical trial.

The Alzheimer’s Association detailed information Describe the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and support for both patients and caregivers.

Stay healthy — exercise helpful mood, balance, ideain the meantime eat a balanced diet and get quality sleep can improve ability of the brain to function.