Dementia On The Decline, Longterm Study Finds
Rates of dementia dropped 44 percent over the past 40 years, according to a Framingham Heart Study that studied 5,200 people whose memories have been tested since 1975. But the decline in Alzheimer's cases was "not significant" and researchers find that risks vary between ethnic groups.
USA Today:
Study Finds Dementia Rates Falling Steadily
A long-running study has found that dementia rates fell steadily over the past four decades, most likely due to declining rates of heart disease. Although the Framingham Heart Study involved just 5,200 people, its findings likely reflect a national trend, said co-author Sudha Seshadri, a professor of neurology at the Boston University School of Medicine and a senior investigator with the study. Other research also suggests that dementia rates are declining in the U.S. and other developed countries. (Szabo, 2/10)
NBC News:
Some Good News For Dementia: Rates Might Be Going Down
Researchers have found a small piece of good news for people at high risk of some kinds of dementia: it might be possible to delay it or even prevent it. They found falling rates of vascular dementia in people who also happened to improve their heart health. The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, support the idea that what's good for the heart is good for the head. (Fox, 2/10)
The San Francisco Chronicle:
Major Study Finds Risks For Dementia Vary Between Ethnic Groups
The risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia is significantly higher in some racial or ethnic groups than it is in others, according to results announced Wednesday of the largest and longest study to look at the issue. (Colliver, 2/10)