Brain Wave

Are You at Risk of Dementia? New Research May Tell You.

Scientists don’t really understand why some people develop dementia while others stay mentally sharp as they age.

They’re investigating plenty of theories, but in the meantime, research has revealed some risk factors that could help to identify those with a higher chance of developing it.

Researchers at the Mayo clinic in the US have come up with a scoring system that can help identify people with an increased risk of developing mild cognitive impairment, which in turn can lead to dementia.

They monitored nearly 1500 people aged between 70 and 89 who did not have memory or cognitive problems when the study began. Over the next five years, they carried out checkups every 15 months, testing memory and thinking skills. Nearly a third of the study participants developed dementia, allowing researchers to pinpoint the factors that indicated they might be at risk of the disease.

As a result, the team came up with a list of questions people can ask themselves about their health. The researchers suggest the risk of dementia could be increased if you answer yes to three or more of the following:

Do you have diabetes?