Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and the University of Pittsburgh have developed the first screening tool that can help predict whether elderly patients are at low, moderate or high risk of developing dementia. The new test takes into account characteristic risk factors for dementia, including advanced age and the presence of genes
Barnes and her colleagues studied 3,375 patients age 65 years or older. Researchers recorded which of the patients developed dementia in the six-year study period, then isolated the risk factors that appeared to make dementia more likely. Volunteers who scored eight points or higher on the index — which includes older age, worse cognitive function, some heart disease risk factors and the presence of genes linked to Alzheimer's — were at high risk of developing dementia within six years.
The research team found that patients who were underweight, did not drink alcohol and took longer to put on and button a shirt were also at high risk for dementia. Barnes speculates that people who drink alcohol may simply be healthier overall and therefore less vulnerable than others to mental decline. "It's possible that someone who is still enjoying a glass of wine each day is in better health," Barnes says.
The screening tool may be extremely useful in prompting high-risk people to start doing whatever they can to protect themselves from future memory loss. So, what should high scorers do? For one, they can build a rich social network of friends and family, and engage aggressively in ways that challenge their mental as well as physical capabilities.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1898034,00.html?imw=Y
