Younger generations less likely to develop dementia for fascinating reasons

Research by Australian scientists has found that among people born more recently women in particular have a smaller chance of getting dementia

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Younger generations are showing a lower risk of developing dementia compared to those born earlier in the 20th century, according to a major new international study.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 60,000 people aged 70 and over across the US, UK, the Netherlands, and Sweden, and found that people born in later decades were significantly less likely to experience dementia by the same age. This comes as five symptoms of dementia that are not memory loss have recently been highlighted.

The study, led by scientists at the University of Queensland in Australia, looked at long-term data stretching back to people born in the 1890s, comparing rates of dementia between age groups over time.

In the United States, for example, 25.1% of people born between 1893 and 1913 had dementia by ages 81 to 85. For those born between 1939 and 1943, the rate had dropped to 15.5%.

Experts believe the decline is due to a combination of factors, including improvements in education, public health, medical care, and better management of heart health.

Things like controlling blood pressure, reducing smoking, and access to quality healthcare are thought to protect the brain as people age. The trend was seen across all countries in the study but was especially strong among women, likely because younger generations of women had more access to education and work outside the home than previous generations.

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However, researchers warn that this doesn’t mean dementia is disappearing. Because people are living longer than ever, the total number of people affected by dementia is still expected to rise in the coming decades.

That means early prevention and public health efforts are more important than ever.

The findings offer a hopeful sign that changes in lifestyle, education, and medical treatment can have a real impact on brain health later in life.

Dementia is not a single disease but a general term used to describe a group of symptoms that affect memory, thinking, behavior, and the ability to perform everyday activities.

The most common type is Alzheimer’s disease, but other forms include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.

Symptoms typically begin gradually and get worse over time, eventually becoming severe enough to interfere with daily life.

While there is currently no cure for dementia, research is making steady progress. Scientists are exploring new treatments to slow its progression and better understand how it develops in the brain.

Recent studies have looked at the role of genetics, inflammation, blood flow, and even the gut-brain connection. Drug breakthroughs remain limited, but there is growing evidence that lifestyle factors, such as regular exercise, a healthy diet, mental stimulation, and social connection, can help reduce the risk or delay onset.

Major trials are also underway to test new medications aimed at targeting the underlying causes of conditions like Alzheimer’s.