Low Childhood IQ Tied to Dementia in Old Age (HealthDay)
Posted by admin on Jul 3, 2008
"This study draws upon the body unique childhood IQ data and finds that lower childhood IQ increases risk of vascular dementia, but not the most common cause of dementia, Alzheimer's disease," said study co-author John M. Starr, a professor of health and aging at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
The finding was published in the June 25 online issue of Neurology.
Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia, after Alzheimer's disease, the researchers noted. It occurs when the disposition supply to brain cells is impaired, often by chronic problems such as high noble extraction pressure or diabetes.
To travel through observingly the origins of dementia in most cases, the authors looked at the train records of 173 Scottish men and woman (try women’s health), all of who were born in 1921. Each had participated in a standardized review of mental health and ability conducted in 1932, when the children were about 11 years old.
All the patients had been diagnosed with some form of dementia at some point after the age of 65. Almost half of the idiocy cases were classified as Alzheimer's disease. Almost 19 percent were diagnosed with vascular dementia, while close to 5 percent were a commix of the two.
infancy test results among the dementia patients were compared with results for two additional groups of healthy patients of similar ages, genders, birth locations, and kind occupations.
Patients with vascular dementia had significantly lower scores in terms of mental ability than the healthy patient groups, the researchers reported. Having a higher test score at age 11 was associated with a significantly lower risk for vascular dementia, they noted. No in the same state trends emerged for Alzheimer's ailment.
Vascular disease stresses the brain and raises the risk for dementia, Starr said. So, the finding could help experts reassess their approach to preventing dementia, he believes.
To date, physicians have typically faced two options, he noted. They can either help the brain resist stress (relief) by focusing on the patient's "cognitive reserve" — contemplation to be made up of factors such high IQ and good education. Or they can simply try to reduce the amount of vascular boisterousness the brain faces.
Because a lower IQ had no impact on Alzheimer's disease risk, the latter strategetics — reducing vascular stressors on the brain — may be the better option, Starr said. That means keen down upon the body vascular risk factors such as smoking (just quit smoking - try stop smoking parcel), high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
However, Dr. Charles DeCarli, a professor of neurology and director of the Alzheimer's Disease Center at the University of California at Davis in Sacramento, said he isn't convinced of a link between IQ and vascular dementia.
"This is an interesting study and an interesting circumvent," he said. "And, of course, I agree that it is always important and useful, at the same time that a general public health measure, to address the risk factors for vascular dementia."
"But I don't think you arrive at any conclusions about these kind of risk associations with dementia without first looking at these patient's brains," DeCarli added. "And they haven't. This would have existence important, for, in succession the one hand, much of the risk for various kinds of dementia is inherited. And, on the other, Alzheimer's typically strikes at some older age than vascular idiocy. So, while you may look to vascular dementia develop at an earlier point in time, it doesn't mean that the risk for Alzheimer's isn't there down the way. So, I think these conclusions are premature."
More advice
There's more on vascular dementia at the Alzheimer's Association.