Mental Decline not Always Dementia

Ivanhoe Newswire
Thursday, August 28, 2008; 4:15 AM

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Mental decline in old age doesn't always signal dementia, researchers caution.

Doctors say cognitive decline -- specifically verbal abilities and mental recall -- are a natural progression of the human aging process. This decline can be linked to a number of factors, not just dementia.

"Increased health problems and frailty in old age often lead to inactivity, and this lack of exercise and mental stimulation could accelerate mental decline," study author Valgeir Thorvaldsson, M.Sc., of Göteberg University in Sweden, was quoted as saying.

Researchers found different cognitive skills begin to decline at different times. Perceptual speed -- one's ability to quickly compare figures -- begins declining nearly 15 years before death. Spatial ability starts declining about eight years before death, while verbal ability starts to decline about six and a half years before death.

The findings also highlight a sharp decline in verbal abilities in the terminal phase -- a decline not due to age alone. "A change in verbal ability might therefore be considered a critical marker for degeneration in health in older people," Dr. Thorvaldsson said.

SOURCE: Neurology, published online August 27, 2008.

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