Dementia At An Earlier Age?

The Washington Post ran an article about a recent study that people are now developing dementia at a younger age than in decades past. People are developing dementia earlier and dying of it more, a study shows discusses a study that was published in Surgical Neurology International. The Post story notes that the study was reported in the London Times in the story, Dementia Victims Are Getting Younger.  The Post article notes that “[s]cientists quoted in the study said a combination of environmental factors such as pollution from aircraft and cars as well as widespread use of pesticides could be the culprit, the newspaper reported.” The leader of the study was quoted:

The rate of increase in such a short time suggested a silent or even a hidden epidemic, in which environmental factors must play a major part, not just aging…[and] no single factor was to blame, but instead [the study leader] blamed the interaction between different chemicals and varying types of pollution.

Other experts disagree with the finding, according to the Post article, referencing the Times article.  One expert noted that” death rates for cancer and heart disease could account for the spike in deaths from neurological disease since people ‘had to die of something.'” Another expert was quoted that “[w]e can’t conclude that modern life is causing these conditions at a younger age….We know that Alzheimer’s and other dementias can have a complex interplay of risk factors.”

The study, Neurological deaths of American adults (55–74) and the over 75’s by sex compared with 20 Western countries 1989–2010: Cause for concern is available here.