Dementia and cognitive decline: a review of the evidence

Authors:
RAY Sujata, DAVIDSON Susan
Publisher:
Age UK
Publication year:
2014
Pagination:
38
Place of publication:
London

A summary of what is generally accepted and can be trusted on cognitive decline and dementia. This paper clarifies key terms and concepts, filtering out unreliable evidence. It provides an update on the best and most recent brain research and includes information on how the brain changes over time, how it can age healthily and how it is affected by disease. The report focuses on the types of dementia, test and diagnosis of dementia, prevalence, causes, risk and protective factors, and interventions for cognitive decline and dementia. It suggests that five modifiable lifestyle factors are linked with a lower risk of dementia. These are: physical exercise; a Mediterranean diet; not smoking; drinking alcohol in moderation; and preventing and treating diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. (Edited publisher abstract)

Subject terms:
dementia, Alzheimers disease, older people, literature reviews, cognitive impairment, diagnosis, prevention, intervention, treatment;
Content type:
research review
Link:
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