Here’s a disappointing report: About 1 million Americans per year are expected to develop dementia by 2060. That’s twice the rate of the 514,000 diagnosed in 2020.
The report is based on research at 10 institutions, including the Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
It said that after age 55, people have a 42% chance of showing signs of dementia, most often through Alzheimer’s disease. However, the research pointed out that several specific medical and lifestyle factors can help slow or prevent the brain damage.
These include better management of blood pressure and cholesterol levels, controlling diabetes, avoiding smoking, increasing physical activity, managing obesity, stroke prevention, treatment for hearing loss, increasing physical activity and encouraging older adults to stay cognitively and socially engaged.
A story on The Washington Post website is based on the same study. It noted that family history and genetics play a role in the chances of dementia, and nothing can be done about those factors. But it also includes other lifestyle suggestions that are believed to reduce the risk.
It recommended eating vegetables and other plant-based foods, which can slow the rate of age-related cognitive decline. Another study found that eating minimally processed plant-based foods, along with regular exercise and stress reduction can improve symptoms of mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer’s.
Another suggestion is getting vaccinated. Studies of vaccines for shingles and the flu have reported a reduced dementia risk.
Also: A daily multi-vitamin may slow memory loss above age 60; exposure to pollutants increase the risk of dementia; a moderate head injury, even when you are young, can increase the risk of dementia when you are older; don’t drink too much alcohol; and get a good night’s sleep while avoiding sleep medications.
As for staying “cognitively engaged,” the Post story recommends crossword puzzles, playing board games, reading or even writing.
A professor of neurology at UTHealth Houston compared the brain to a muscle, saying that if people don’t exercise it, its performance will decline. That’s a good way to look at this subject.
