Cognitive Impairment in Elders: Mid- and Late-Life Risk and Protective Factors

Advancing age is the most readily identifiable risk factor for developing cognitive impairment, and the segment of the global population growing the fastest is people ≥85 years. In this population-based, prospective observational study of older adults (85–89 years old), researchers sought to determine the rate of incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and associated risk and protective factors related to mid- and late-life activities and medical comorbidities.

At baseline evaluation, 256 participants (median age, 87.3 years) with at least one follow-up visit at a 15-month interval were deemed cognitively normal based on functional assessment questionnaires completed with an informant, neurological examination, and neuropsychological testin…