"Pre-Dementia" On The Rise, Doctors Say

Study: 1 Million Older Americans Exhibit Mild Mental Decline Each Year, Especially Men

(AP)  A milder type of mental decline that often precedes Alzheimer's disease is alarmingly more common than has been believed, and in men more than women, doctors reported Monday.

Nearly a million older Americans slide from normal memory into mild impairment each year, researchers estimate, based on a Mayo Clinic study of Minnesota residents.

That's on top of the half million Americans who develop full-blown Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia - a problem sure to grow as baby boomers age. The oldest boomers turn 62 this year.

"We're seeing that in fact there's a much larger burgeoning problem out there" of people at risk of developing dementia, said Dr. Ronald Petersen, the Mayo scientist who led the study.

Dr. Ralph Nixon, a New York University psychiatrist and scientific adviser to the Alzheimer's Association, was blunt.

"We're facing a crisis," he said.

There are no treatments now to prevent this mental slide or reverse it once it starts.

But that may be changing. Researchers on Monday reported early, somewhat encouraging results from an experimental nose spray that seemed to improve certain memory measures in a study of mildly impaired people.

The drug, for now just called AL-108, needs testing in a longer, larger study. It is being developed by Allon Therapeutics Inc., based in Vancouver, B.C.

Doctors said it shows the potential for new types of medicines that target the protein tangles that kill nerve cells, instead of targeting the sticky brain deposits that have gotten most of the attention up to now.

The studies were reported at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Chicago.

Petersen is the scientist who defined mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, as a transition phase between healthy aging and dementia. It is more than "senior moments" like forgetting where you parked the car, but not as severe as having dementia, where you forget what a car is for.

People with it have impaired memory but not other problems like confusion, inattention or trouble putting thoughts into words.

The Alzheimer's Association says more than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's, but no estimate for this "pre-dementia" has been available until now.

Petersen's federally funded study involved roughly 1,600 people, ages 70 through 89, living in Olmstead County, which surrounds the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. All tested normal when they were enrolled in the study, but more than 5 percent had developed mild impairment when evaluated a year later.

Men were nearly twice as likely as women to develop it. That's a surprise, because some studies have found more women with Alzheimer's than men. But there may be a simple explanation:

Even though more men may be impaired, women outlive them and therefore have more time to develop full-blown dementia.

"This is a very large and important issue for our country and for the world," said Duke University psychologist Brenda Plassman. A smaller study she published earlier this year backs up the Mayo study's findings.

The mild impairment rate is two to three times larger than many researchers had expected, Petersen said.

"It's the iceberg under the tip," agreed Dr. R. Scott Turner, incoming director of the memory disorders program at Georgetown University Medical Center. A prime goal is finding drugs to treat the mild impairment before Alzheimer's develops.

The AL-108 study tried to do that. Scientists gave 144 people with mild impairment either a low or high dose of the drug or a dummy drug for 12 weeks. The study missed its main goal - a composite of various memory scores - and the low dose showed no effect. But those on the higher dose improved on some memory tasks after one month and benefits lasted a month after they stopped treatment, said the study's leader, Dr. Donald Schmechel of Duke University.

The study was sponsored by the drug maker.

In another study presented at the conference on Sunday and published on the Internet by the British medical journal The Lancet, researchers reported that dementia rates in developing countries may be considerably higher than official estimates and closer to rates in wealthy countries.

Scientists used a more liberal definition of dementia more suitable to poorer, less educated populations, where respect for family often means relatives don't regard dementia as a burden so much and may be less likely to report problems.

The study involved nearly 15,000 people in 11 sites from China, India, Cuba, Mexico and other nations. Dementia rates ranged from nearly 6 percent in rural China to nearly 12 percent in the Dominican Republic, said co-author Martin Prince of King's College in London.

The World Health Organization and the Alzheimer's Association were among the study's sponsors.

[tobyburwell]

One thing not mentioned: Dr. Petersen''s NIH study was partially funded by Pfizer, who makes Lipitor, which Dr. Petersen recommends for prevention of Alzheimer''s.

See: http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/ResearchInformation/NewsReleases/Archives/PR1999/PR19990315MCI.htm

This guy''s study is as compromised as they come. Unfortunately, that''s the way it is in today''s medicine.

[grammawhamma]

Ah yes, now the older crowd will be over-diagnosed with this pre-dementia condition, much the same as autism in kids. Anything to sell more drugs and make people paranoid and over-reactive.



Posted by Credibility2 at 11:31 PM : Jul 28, 2008


You sure nailed this one on the head.

[aggiekat2004]

You know, no wonder healthcare is not affordable for the rest of us who don''t have these issues.

With all of these fancy schmancy drugs and need for doctors who will charge and arm and a leg...my COBRA coverage from my last job is $350 a month! And I''m unemployed!

The drug companies are creating a need.

And my personal theory? Aspartame (Nutrasweet), Sucralose (Splenda), and all of these other chemicals we''re putting in our body. Google "Aspartame problems" and see what comes up. Ironically, most of the symptoms can be associated with dementia and other ailments...

And who paid for the research on Aspartame? Monsanto, the manufacturer.

Ten years. Give it ten years. Then our whole diet-coke drinking obese population will be having REAL problems.

[suzi459]

I always said that there was a common denominator in this Alzheimer''s business and I agree with cdubwright. It all boils down to the drug companies with their new controllers and curealls! You never heard of so much dementia years ago. Only in today''s world has it come to the surface in such magnitude. Imagine that, right in line with the growth of the drug companies! Your body wasn''t made with statin drugs and other such chemical compounds in them. So why introduce them now? Man doesn''t know everything, so stop pretending to and stop playing God!

[daysrnumbrd]

As has been said many times... "use it or lose it".

Hobbies that exercise and stimulate the mind help keep the mind/brain healthy, (crossword puzzles, building and/or fixing things/solving mechanical problems), for starters.

My step-grandpa possibly could have delayed or avoided his Alzheimers disease had he developed hobbies (as I stated above) instead of just sitting in front of the TV!

[j_flood]

who paid for the testing?

Turn off the TV and pick up a book.

[babooph]

It was so obvious Reagan was gorked in his 1st term-the propaganda system is still pretending it showed up AFTER his 2nd-president seems to be a less important job than dog catcher in the States.The world gives the respect that is deserved.

[irliberal]

Testing for dementia, eh? Was the test group all republicans? That could explain - a whole lot.

[eddom949]

Go ahead and drop $1000 every three months for your fine prescriptions, I''ll use an herb garden and leave Allergan, GlaxosmithKline, and all the rest alone. This drug culture needs to be put on notice, it''s not acceptable under my roof, I''m tired of smelling it, at the hotel or wherever and reading about it in the apartment reviews and they were even teaching each other how to build bongs in the speech class at the community college. Further, I catch a kid p*ssing in my lake, and such a kid is likely to be arrested.

[erb0087]

"It"s funny how these drug companies keep finding crisis after crisis that require a new drug. We"ve got the autism crisis, the ADD crisis, the dementia crisis, . These aren"t really life and death illnesses."
Posted by standlee5 at 11:34 PM : Jul 28, 2008
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I don''t know how dementia and Alzheimers are distinguished, if at all.

Alzheimers is often a terminal disease. Charles Bronson died of it.

[CarolJWright]

My mother has had serious dementia for perhaps ten years, dx''d with mid Alzheimer''s about four years ago. I have been 24/7 sole caregiver for 6.5 years, with no full day off for over 4 years. At the end of May, I asked her doctor if we could try stopping Ditropan/Oxybutynin. After a few weeks, she started to improve in many aspects...word choice, movement more deliberate, curious about her past, understanding instructions. Maybe she IS improving. I took a chance and asked her if she noticed an improvement in her memory. AND LO, I beheld a miracle. She came out as her old self and gave a lecture how she noticed a change about a week ago, but didn''t know what was happening. I videotaped it on You Tube...see CarolJWright channel. It''s been reunions and word lessons ever since. More videos to come.

There are some warnings about Ditropan and dementia. There are 80 or so causes of dementia. Another med has led to Alzheimer''s misdiagnosis...statins. This could be why the early dementias...the rise in Rxing the statin drugs to help cholesterol. Or the drugs for urgent bladder control.

Anyway, my mother is here, and staying here. She''s relearning words, how to tell time, how to use the house key, and so forth. I am very busy, happily so.

[alphaa10-2009]

Interesting story from an AP writer, but this piece could have benefitted from more development.

For example--

"Doctors said it shows the potential for new types of medicines that target the protein tangles that kill nerve cells, instead of targeting the sticky brain deposits that have gotten most of the attention up to now."

"Sticky deposits" may have been a reference to beta amyloid, but this is not clarified.

"Protein tangles" is a reference suggesting the prion, but again this is not given the context it should have.

[alphaa10-2009]

Interesting story from an AP writer, but this piece could have benefitted from more development.

For example--

"Doctors said it shows the potential for new types of medicines that target the protein tangles that kill nerve cells, instead of targeting the sticky brain deposits that have gotten most of the attention up to now."

"Sticky deposits" may have been a reference to beta amyloid, but this is not clarified.

"Protein tangles" is a reference suggesting the prion, but again this is not given the context it should have.

[randynason]

It seems clear that John McSame is suffering from this terrible syndrome.

It''''s a very tragic situation.







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Posted by micma

Let''s all pray for Gramps. He needs some real help.

[randynason]

They must have been testing a group of liberals for dementia!


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Posted by edintex

Actually, I think they interviewed your mama and she surrendered your slow, demented persona to the doctors for an in-depth study, good buddy. So sorry- I think she said something about your inept, blogging-mania episodes being a real problem and embarrassment to the family.

[pirmin3]

Proof positive! Just look in the White House.

[haoli25]

This study is a complete and....oh, look Matlock is on TV Land....who keeps hiding my slippers.....here, pull my finger.....

[stn_sage]

Posted by stn_sage at 08:29 PM : Jul 28, 2008
------------------
McCain refused to release his mental health records.

Posted by truthmatterz at 09:46 PM : Jul 28, 2008
----------------------

My response: EXACTLY! And, we''re left taking his and his doctor''s words that he''s okay?! HE''S NOT!!
The whole situation stinks!

[edintex]

They must have been testing a group of liberals for dementia!