Dementia is a common condition noticed mostly among elders all around the world. A study published in the JAMA Neurology journal on October 24 has revealed that 10% of US citizens aged 65 or above have dementia. Authors of the paper claim that this was the first nationally representative study of cognitive impairment prevalence in over two decades. The study categorised almost 3,500 participants by age, education, ethnicity, race, and sex. It found a correlation between higher education and lowered risk of developing dementia. The study also found that the prevalence of cognitive impairment is higher in African-American older adults.
Dementia is not a specific disease. It refers to a group of conditions marked by impairment of at least two brain functions. Dementia can affect memory, thinking, language, judgment, and behavior. The study, conducted between 2016 to 2017, put the participants through a core survey and neurological testing for all these symptoms. It found that sex does not affect prevalence rates, although age, education, and ethnicity do.
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- Age: The researchers found that every five-year increase in age was linked to a greater risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment. While only 3% of adults aged 65-69 tested positive for dementia, 35% of the participants who were 90 and above were diagnosed with the disease.
- Education: Experts believe that educational achievement protects against cognitive decline. The survey report revealed that 9% of all college graduates tested positive for dementia. The number was much higher (13%) for those who did not have a high school diploma. Higher education levels were linked with a lesser incidence of mild cognitive decline, too. Twenty-one per cent of all participants with college degrees and 30% of those with less than a high school degree had a mild cognitive decline.
- Ethnicity and race: 15% of all the people who identified as Black tested positive for dementia. Twenty-two per cent displayed mild cognitive decline. The study found that while the prevalence of dementia in those who identified as Hispanic was comparatively lower (10%), the rate of mild cognitive impairment was higher at 28%. Of the total white population tested, 9% had dementia, while 21% had mild cognitive imparities.
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