Dementia Increasing Among People Over 90
MONDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists tend to think that dementia and Alzheimer's disease taper off in the oldest, but a new study finds that people over 90 have the highest rates.
According to previous epidemiological research, the rate of dementia begins to level off and even decline among people aged 90 and older. But this new study found that the rate of dementia increases with age.
Researchers conducted a population-based study of all people aged 80 or older (2,138 people) in eight municipalities of Varese province in Italy. They were assessed at the start of the study, and the survivors were assessed again an average of three years later.
The study found that dementia prevalence (total number of cases) increased with age: 13.5 percent at 80 to 84 years; 30.8 percent at 85 to 89 years; 39.5 percent at 90 to 94 years; and 52.8 percent among those older than 94.
Prevalence was 25.8 percent among women and 17.1 percent among men.
New cases of dementia also increased with age: 6 percent at 80 to 84 years; 12.4 percent at 85 to 89 years; 13.1 percent from 90 to 94 years; and 20.7 percent among those over 94.
Incidence of new cases was 9.2 percent among women and 7.2 percent among men.
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