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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 |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| The proportion of older people living with dementia has fallen by a fifth over the past two decades with the most likely explanation being because men are smoking less and living healthier lives, according to new scientific research. | |
| A team from three British universities concluded that as a result the number of new cases of dementia is lower than had been predicted in the 1990s, estimated at around 210,000 a year in the UK as opposed to 250,000. | A team from three British universities concluded that as a result the number of new cases of dementia is lower than had been predicted in the 1990s, estimated at around 210,000 a year in the UK as opposed to 250,000. |
| The findings are potentially significant because they suggest that it is possible to take preventative action, such as stopping smoking and reducing cholesterol, that could help avoid the condition. “Physical health and brain health are clearly highly linked,” said Carol Brayne of Cambridge University, who co-authored the study. | The findings are potentially significant because they suggest that it is possible to take preventative action, such as stopping smoking and reducing cholesterol, that could help avoid the condition. “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 10, 20 or 30 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 10, 20 or 30 years before.” |
| Related: Gene therapy rescues dying cells in the brains of Alzheimer's patients | Related: Gene therapy rescues dying cells in the brains of Alzheimer's patients |
| The scientists found that new cases of dementia had dropped from 20.1 in every 1,000 people per year in the first study conducted in the early 1990s to 17.7 in the second, which looked at new cases between 2008 and 2013. When sex and age differences were taken into account, the dementia rates were found to have dropped by 20%. | The scientists found that new cases of dementia had dropped from 20.1 in every 1,000 people per year in the first study conducted in the early 1990s to 17.7 in the second, which looked at new cases between 2008 and 2013. When sex and age differences were taken into account, the dementia rates were found to have dropped by 20%. |
| The trend emerges from a dramatic drop in new cases for men across all age groups. In the 1990s study, for every 1,000 men aged 70-74, 12.9 went on to develop dementia within a year. 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 between the two studies. | The trend emerges from a dramatic drop in new cases for men across all age groups. In the 1990s study, for every 1,000 men aged 70-74, 12.9 went on to develop dementia within a year. 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 between the two studies. |
| The situation for women was more complex: while those aged 80-84 showed a small increase in rates between the two studies, there was a slight drop for other age groups. | The situation for women was more complex: while those aged 80-84 showed a small increase in rates between the two studies, there was a slight drop for other age groups. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Related: Do hay fever tablets shrink your brain? | Related: Do hay fever tablets shrink your brain? |
| 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. | 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 with 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 with 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 was encouraging that the rate of new cases had fallen. However, he added: “There will still be more than 200,000 new cases of dementia each year. That is 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 was encouraging that the rate of new cases had fallen. However, he added: “There will still be more than 200,000 new cases of dementia each year. That is still an enormous number of people who require better information and health and social care support.” |
| Related: Dementia hits women hardest – study | Related: Dementia hits women hardest – study |
| 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. | 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: Cambridgeshire, Nottingham and Newcastle. | 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: 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. |