Dementia risk not as strong as feared

Mild cognitive impairment, or memory problems, may not be linked to dementia as closely as previously thought, new research from the University of Leicester reveals.
Previously, many doctors told patients with such impairment that their risk of developing dementia was up to 15 per cent per year, according to the author of the study, Dr Alex Mitchell. The study was published in the journal Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica.
That percentage made deterioration almost inevitable within five to 10 years. Dr Mitchell said: “This new research suggests that people with mild cognitive impairment appear to have a lower risk of progressing to dementia than previously believed.

“Our research found that the proportion of people who progressed was 10 per cent per year in high-risk groups and in fact only 5 per cent per year in low-risk groups. Moreover, only a minority (20-40 per cent) of people developed dementia even after extended follow-up and the risk appeared to reduce slightly with time.
“These results should be seen as positive for those with memory problems even for those that struggle with the kind of memory tests given by a GP… There is a large effort to find out who is most at risk of further decline, as well to find strategies that might slow down such progress.”