Medical and Mental Target Risk Factors for Dementia Prevention

Abstract

The authors draw attention to two current trends in search for relevant risk factors of cognitive impairment and dementia. They discuss whether the most important risk factors are somatic conditions such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, diabetes. The authors indicate arguments, found in the literature that the impaired cognitive performance could be caused partly by the previous cognitive impacts. The authors point out that these two lines of research is combined by the occurrence of depression. They postulate, therefore, that assessment of the health of the older people should take into account the data of stressful events in childhood and youth. Important are also data about current living conditions, social conditions and the current mental and physical activity.