A recent study looked at early predictors of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. What researchers found could help people prepare for the risk of developing this condition and possibly mitigate the effects of such a costly disease.
Researchers from RAND, a nonprofit research organization, wanted to identify the predictors of dementia and cognitive impairment up to 20 years in advance of onset.
They found that an individual's baseline cognitive abilities, health and functional limitations are the strongest predictors of dementia. They also found that people born in the southern United States are at higher risk of developing this condition. Not having a private health insurance plan at age 60, never having worked or working only a few years and never exercising were also risk factors.
The researchers recommended obvious lifestyle modifications and encouraged providers and policy makers to find ways to promote healthy behaviors.
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Tom Wainwright is media editor for the Economist and, in a recent article, he explores the ways in which technology is transforming old age — for the worse and, maybe surprisingly, for the better. -
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