A lot of folks are becoming more forgetful and sloppy with themselves and their chores over the years. Probably the first thing that pops into their minds is that they’re on the way to dealing with a form of dementia/serious cognitive impairment some years later.
But a new study that UPI.com speaks about tells us that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults doesn’t necessarily have to lead to dementia – in fact, those mild symptoms can even go away some years later.
Many participants recovered their mental health
A diverse group of Americans was assessed for the new study. There were about 2,900 participants who had an average age around the mid-70s, and they were tracked for about six years. Seven hundred fifty-two of these folks were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. About half of them managed to recover and no longer manifest the symptoms some years later.
Jennifer Manly, the lead author of the study and a neuropsychology professor at Columbia University from New York City, declared as quoted by UPI.com:
We wanted to gain more knowledge about the earliest stages of dementia, as a potential time window for dementia prevention or intervention strategies.
The scientist also explained, as quoted by the same source:
Most prior MCI studies are conducted among only non-Hispanic White older adults who seek help from a doctor who specializes in memory disorders.
According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, the current estimation is that there are more than 55 million people across the globe who live with dementia. Furthermore, the same source tells us that 60% of those persons suffering from dementia live in underdeveloped countries, where incomes are generally considered low and middle.
Need another terrifying fact regarding dementia? The Alzheimer’s Disease International also reveals that every three seconds around the world, another dementia case emerges.
