THE ONSET of dementia may start from the age of 45, much earlier than previously thought, research published yesterday suggests.
A large-scale study has found evidence the human brain’s capacity for memory, reasoning and comprehension (cognitive function) can start to deteriorate from the age of 45 and not 60 years, as had been believed.A large-scale study has found evidence the human brain’s capacity for memory, reasoning and comprehension (cognitive function) can start to deteriorate from the age of 45 and not 60 years, as had been believed.
The authors of today's research, published in the British Medical Journal,say the evidence showing cognitive decline before the age of 60 has significant ramifications because it demonstrates the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles, particularly cardiovascular health, as there is emerging evidence that "what is good for our hearts is also good for our heads".
British and French researchers, led by Dr Archana Singh-Manoux of the Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health in Cedex, France, and University College London, examined civil servants aged between 45 and 70 who participated in the major Whitehall II study.
They assessed the cognitive function of some 5,198 men and 2,192 women over a 10-year period from 1997. Using tests of verbal and mathematical reasoning, short-term verbal memory and tests for verbal fluency and vocabulary, the authors found cognitive scores declined in all categories except vocabulary, and in all age cohorts.
There was a 3.6 per cent decline in mental reasoning in men aged 45 to 49, while males aged 65 to 70 showed a 9.6 per cent decline over a 10-year period. For women aged 45 to 49, the decline was also 3.6 per cent, but this was 7.4 per cent for women older than 65.
An estimated 40,000 to 50,000 people in the Republic live with some form of dementia.
