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| Drop in dementia rates suggests disease can be prevented, researchers say | Drop in dementia rates suggests disease can be prevented, researchers say |
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| Dementia rates in the UK have fallen by a fifth over the past 20 years despite the population ageing, scientists say. | Dementia rates in the UK have fallen by a fifth over the past 20 years despite the population ageing, scientists say. |
| With changes in lifestyle and education over the last two decades thought to be among the factors responsible for the drop, the researchers believe the study highlights the benefits of taking preventative action. “Physical health and brain health are clearly highly linked,” said Carol Brayne of Cambridge University who co-authored the study. | With changes in lifestyle and education over the last two decades thought to be among the factors responsible for the drop, the researchers believe the study highlights the benefits of taking preventative action. “Physical health and brain health are clearly highly linked,” said Carol Brayne of Cambridge University who co-authored the study. |
| Nick Fox, Professor of Neurology at University College, London who was not involved in the study, agrees. “This does suggest that our risk, in any particular age in later life, can be reduced probably by what we do ten, twenty or thirty years before.” | Nick Fox, Professor of Neurology at University College, London who was not involved in the study, agrees. “This does suggest that our risk, in any particular age in later life, can be reduced probably by what we do ten, twenty or thirty years before.” |
| Related: Do hay fever tablets shrink your brain? | |
| In a study of more than 10,000 adults aged over 65, researchers looked at the rates at which people developed dementia in the early 1990s, and again two decades later. | In a study of more than 10,000 adults aged over 65, researchers looked at the rates at which people developed dementia in the early 1990s, and again two decades later. |
| “If we used the estimates that we had 20 years ago and apply them to the current population you would expect a big increase in the numbers of people who would be expected to develop dementia each year,” said Brayne. But the rise was far less dramatic, with 40,000 fewer cases than expected. | “If we used the estimates that we had 20 years ago and apply them to the current population you would expect a big increase in the numbers of people who would be expected to develop dementia each year,” said Brayne. But the rise was far less dramatic, with 40,000 fewer cases than expected. |
| As a result, the authors note, “even in the presence of an ageing population the numbers of people estimated to develop dementia in any year has remained relatively stable.” | As a result, the authors note, “even in the presence of an ageing population the numbers of people estimated to develop dementia in any year has remained relatively stable.” |
| Writing in the journal Nature Communications, a team of researchers from the Universities of Cambridge, East Anglia and Newcastle describe how they ran two studies - the first between 1990 and 1995, and the second between 2008 and 2013. Dubbed the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (CFAS) and largely funded by the Medical Research Council, the research compared dementia rates then and now in three locations around the UK: Cambridgeshire, Nottingham and Newcastle. | Writing in the journal Nature Communications, a team of researchers from the Universities of Cambridge, East Anglia and Newcastle describe how they ran two studies - the first between 1990 and 1995, and the second between 2008 and 2013. Dubbed the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (CFAS) and largely funded by the Medical Research Council, the research compared dementia rates then and now in three locations around the UK: Cambridgeshire, Nottingham and Newcastle. |
| In the first study, 5,156 individuals were followed up two years after their initial interview, while the second study followed 5,288 participants. Crucially, the interview methods used to diagnose dementia were the same for both the first and second studies, allowing the researchers to directly compare the results. | In the first study, 5,156 individuals were followed up two years after their initial interview, while the second study followed 5,288 participants. Crucially, the interview methods used to diagnose dementia were the same for both the first and second studies, allowing the researchers to directly compare the results. |
| Overall, the scientists found that new cases of dementia had dropped from 20.1 in every 1,000 people per year in the first study to 17.7 in the second. As a result, expected dementia rates for 2015 fell from around 250,000 new cases a year to around 210,000. | Overall, the scientists found that new cases of dementia had dropped from 20.1 in every 1,000 people per year in the first study to 17.7 in the second. As a result, expected dementia rates for 2015 fell from around 250,000 new cases a year to around 210,000. |
| Intriguingly, it seems the trend is largely down to a dramatic drop for men across all age groups. In the first study for every 1000 men aged 70-74, 12.9 went on to develop dementia within a year, but in the second study 20 years later, that figure had dropped to only 8.7 men. For men aged 65-69 the rate of new cases had more than halved. | Intriguingly, it seems the trend is largely down to a dramatic drop for men across all age groups. In the first study for every 1000 men aged 70-74, 12.9 went on to develop dementia within a year, but in the second study 20 years later, that figure had dropped to only 8.7 men. For men aged 65-69 the rate of new cases had more than halved. |
| The situation for women was more complex: while those aged 80-84 showed a small increase in rates between the two studies,other age groups revealed a slight drop. | The situation for women was more complex: while those aged 80-84 showed a small increase in rates between the two studies,other age groups revealed a slight drop. |
| At first glance, people in the most deprived areas seemed about 50% more likely to develop dementia than those in the least deprived areas, but the effect shrank when factors such as age and sex were taken into account. | At first glance, people in the most deprived areas seemed about 50% more likely to develop dementia than those in the least deprived areas, but the effect shrank when factors such as age and sex were taken into account. |
| Related: Dementia hits women hardest – study | Related: Dementia hits women hardest – study |
| The researchers did not delve into the reasons behind the overall fall in dementia rates, or the differences between men and women, but they suggest a complex mix of factors could have improved brain health, particularly in men. Less smoking, lower blood pressure, and greater use of statins to tackle cholesterol as well as an increase in education levels, could be among the factors at play, said Brayne. “One interpretation might be that women have already achieved the gains that there were to gain,” she added. | The researchers did not delve into the reasons behind the overall fall in dementia rates, or the differences between men and women, but they suggest a complex mix of factors could have improved brain health, particularly in men. Less smoking, lower blood pressure, and greater use of statins to tackle cholesterol as well as an increase in education levels, could be among the factors at play, said Brayne. “One interpretation might be that women have already achieved the gains that there were to gain,” she added. |
| Fiona Matthews, a co-author of the paper from Newcastle University said that it is “a very different sort of person” who is reaching older age now. | Fiona Matthews, a co-author of the paper from Newcastle University said that it is “a very different sort of person” who is reaching older age now. |
| Researchers have found before that dementia may not be the “time bomb” it was once feared. In 2013 the same team reported that over the course of 20 years the proportion of people estimated to have dementia had dropped by 24% compared to what had been expected. The new findings strengthen the message that brain health in the UK is changing, they say. | Researchers have found before that dementia may not be the “time bomb” it was once feared. In 2013 the same team reported that over the course of 20 years the proportion of people estimated to have dementia had dropped by 24% compared to what had been expected. The new findings strengthen the message that brain health in the UK is changing, they say. |
| James Pickett, head of research at the Alzheimer’s Society said: “It’s encouraging to see research showing that the rate of new cases of people with dementia in the UK has fallen, indicating that lifestyle factors, such as better heart health, are helping to reduce the risk of dementia. However, people are living for longer and with other risk factors such as diabetes and obesity on the rise, there will still be over 200,000 new cases of dementia each year. That’s still an enormous number of people who require better information and health and social care support.” | James Pickett, head of research at the Alzheimer’s Society said: “It’s encouraging to see research showing that the rate of new cases of people with dementia in the UK has fallen, indicating that lifestyle factors, such as better heart health, are helping to reduce the risk of dementia. However, people are living for longer and with other risk factors such as diabetes and obesity on the rise, there will still be over 200,000 new cases of dementia each year. That’s still an enormous number of people who require better information and health and social care support.” |
| Seth Love, co-director of the Dementia Research Group at Bristol University, said the study added weight to the idea that boosting physical health benefits the brain. But, he stressed, it was important to remember that large numbers of people are still being diagnosed with dementia. “From the point of view of social services, healthcare planning, the costs to the taxpayer, I think it is worth bearing in mind that even though the incidence are declining, the total number of people with dementia is remaining stable,” he said. “All it is saying is that it is not quite as bad as it might have been.” | Seth Love, co-director of the Dementia Research Group at Bristol University, said the study added weight to the idea that boosting physical health benefits the brain. But, he stressed, it was important to remember that large numbers of people are still being diagnosed with dementia. “From the point of view of social services, healthcare planning, the costs to the taxpayer, I think it is worth bearing in mind that even though the incidence are declining, the total number of people with dementia is remaining stable,” he said. “All it is saying is that it is not quite as bad as it might have been.” |