The most common factors are not the common degenerative diseases.
When evaluating patients with cognitive decline, we usually focus on common disorders, such as cerebrovascular disease, Alzheimer disease, and Lewy body disease. This analysis of data on 856 deceased participants from two longitudinal, clinicopathological studies of aging and dementia provides information on the causes of cognitive decline.
The participants had been evaluated regularly since 1994 or 1997; mean age at death was 88. The authors examined the rate and timing of cognitive decline and linked these to the three age-related pathologies. Alzheimer pathology explained 22% of the decline, gross infarcts 2%, and Lewy bodies 8%. When considered together, these were associated with a faster rate of cognitive decline, but accounted for onl…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresRoyaltiesTextbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, 2nd and 3rd editions
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNorth American Brain Injury Association (Board Member); National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Chair of Data Monitoring Safety Board for study of donepezil on cognition after traumatic brain injury)
DisclosuresRoyaltiesTextbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, 2nd and 3rd editions
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNorth American Brain Injury Association (Board Member); National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Chair of Data Monitoring Safety Board for study of donepezil on cognition after traumatic brain injury)