UK dementia rates have fallen sharply in men

Conclusion The figures from this study are striking, particularly the drop in the incidence of dementia in older men. However, we don't know what is behind this dramatic drop. While it would be great to think that it's because men in their 80s are smoking less, exercising more and generally living healthier lives, we don't know whether this is true or if it can completely account for the big drop in dementia rates. It's possible that the figures for men aged 80 and over are less reliable than those for younger age groups, as there were fewer men of this age interviewed. For example, only 205 men aged over 85 were interviewed at baseline in 1991, with 110 interviewed at follow-up. The numbers for the second cohort were 364 men interviewed in 2008, with 193 interviewed at follow-up.  These small numbers are reflected in the large confidence intervals for these results. The smaller the numbers in a specific group, the greater the chance that any perceived effect is, in fact, the result of chance. The researchers' decision to use the 1991 study criteria for deciding whether someone had dementia has been criticised by one expert, Dr Sujoy Mukherjee, consultant psychiatrist at West London Mental Health Trust and a member of the Dementia Strategic Clinical Network. Diagnostic criteria have changed, and people who were not diagnosed with dementia in 1991 might be seen as having dementia today. Dr Mukherjee says this could undermine the findings. But using modern criteria woul...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Neurology Older people Source Type: news