Brain health of seniors may be getting better

By Alice Dembner, Globe Staff

The brain health of Americans 70 and older appears to be improving, compared with earlier generations, according to a study that found fewer serious mental deficiencies among seniors in 2002 than in 1993.

The trend, which researchers say is still preliminary, parallels a decline in physical disability among older Americans that is well documented.

"If this study is indeed confirmed and replicated then it says that cognitive decline associated with aging is malleable," said Richard Suzman, director for behavioral and social research at the National Institute on Aging, which helped fund the study. "There may be interventions that can be brought to bear to accelerate the trend. It’s potentially very good news."

Researchers say more years of schooling and more wealth are among the likely explanations for the apparent improvements, and they are searching for other factors such as changes in lifestyle, medical care or social relations.

However, they caution that the aging of the baby boomers and the nationwide epidemic of obesity and diabetes will still bring a significant jump in the number of people with Alzheimer's disease over the next few decades.

The study, published online today in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, compared results of mental function tests conducted on nationally representative samples of more than 7,000 adults in 1993 and 2002. Slightly more than 12 percent of people in 1993 showed evidence of mental problems consistent with dementia, compared to 8.7 percent in 2002.