Well, I guess I'm safe then.



www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000102&sid=alzuc18R8oGc&refer=uk

Alzheimer's Progresses Faster in Educated People (Update1)

Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) -- High levels of education speed up the progression of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in next month's issue of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

Mental agility dropped every year among Alzheimer's disease patients with each additional year of education, leading to an additional 0.3 percent deterioration, the researchers from the Columbia University Medical Center in New York found. The speed of thought processes and memory were particularly affected.

Previous studies have shown that people with high levels of education are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. The new study shows that the brains of more educated people can tolerate changes for longer periods of time, meaning signs of decreased mental agility typical of Alzheimer's disease appear later. When those signs do appear, the disease progresses faster than it does in less educated patients.

``The amount of nerve connections and information hubs are likely to be more numerous and more efficient in people who are highly educated,'' said lead author Nikolaos Scarmeas in his study. ``The subsequent impact is likely to be greater than it would be in less educated brains, because of the higher levels of accumulated damage.''

The findings are based on the study of 312 New Yorkers aged 65 and older, who were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and monitored for more than five years. All the patients underwent around four neurological assessments, each of which comprised a dozen separate tests of brain function.

The level of the drop-off was particularly evident in the speed of thought processes and memory, Scarmeas said. The result didn't depend on age, mental ability at diagnosis or other factors likely to affect brain function, including depression and diseases of the blood vessels.

The number of people who have dementia probably will double every 20 years to 42 million by 2020 with one new case every seven seconds, according to a report about Alzheimer's disease published in the Lancet in December. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in people 65 and older.

Great.  


I sure hope I get tenure before I lose my mind - then at least nobody will notice.  

Quoted: www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000102&sid=alzuc18R8oGc&refer=uk Alzheimer's Progresses Faster in Educated People (Update1) <snip> The findings are based on the study of 312 New Yorkers aged 65 and older, who were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and monitored for more than five years. All the patients underwent around four neurological assessments, each of which comprised a dozen separate tests of brain function. <snip>

even as a student, i remain skeptical. the demographics in this study IMHO hurt the validity along with ability to reproduce these results through out america.  interesting none the less..

Uhhhhh..... Uhmmm...

Damn, I forget what I wanted to comment on.

Well...that certainly sucks.  It killed my father and I fear that one day it'll get me too.  Problem is...I have many years more edumication than Pops ever had.  Great...

I'll eat my fucking gun before I become a burden on the missus or the little ones.

well the way I see it, the smarter people know a lot more so they have a lot more to lose....the slower people start  out a few steps behind(ahead in the progression) to begin with...it all makes sense.

It's like a bucket rusting fromthe top down.  The more water is in the bucket, the sooner it starts to leak.

CO

"Your mind is the 2nd thing to go, but I don't remember what the first one was."

Quoted: I'll eat my fucking gun before I become a burden on the missus or the little ones.

My grandfather said the same thing, but it sneaks up on you, like a thief in the night.