In a novel approach to predicting the risk of developing dementia, researchers from the Florida State University College of Medicine have identified a simple, low-cost method involving an interviewer’s rating of a person’s memory.
The study’s findings are set to be published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
The study utilized data from approximately 13,000 participants in the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a longitudinal study of adults aged 50 and older.
The researchers focused on participants who initially exhibited normal cognitive function and underwent at least one additional cognitive assessment between 2008-2020.
During the interviews, trained research assistants rated the participants on their memory based on their response to specific questions.
Each point increase in poor memory, as rated by the interviewer, was associated with a 40% increase in the risk of developing dementia over the follow-up period.
Remarkably, this prediction held even when other potential influencing factors like depression and poor hearing were accounted for.
The memory rating method proved especially effective in predicting dementia risk among participants who initially demonstrated high objective and subjective memory performance.
Objective memory refers to the actual recall of information, while subjective memory pertains to an individual’s perception of their memory ability.
Both have been known to be useful in detecting cognitive deficits before a diagnosis of dementia is made.
Interestingly, the strength of the association between poor memory rating and dementia risk remained consistent across diverse groups, including variations in age, sex, race, ethnicity, and education.
This suggests that this method could be broadly predictive across populations.
Historically, information on cognitive function has been gathered from family members.
However, this study indicates that an interview with a relatively unfamiliar person can provide equally valuable information about potential cognitive health risks.
In conclusion, an interviewer’s simple rating of an individual’s memory could serve as an effective predictor of future dementia.
This method could prove to be a useful tool for clinicians in identifying patients at risk of cognitive impairment and administering timely and effective treatments.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about low choline intake linked to higher dementia risk, and how eating nuts can affect your cognitive ability.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline, and results showing higher magnesium intake could help benefit brain health.
The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
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