We are looking at 25 percent or more of the population aged 70 or older who have dementia or are at risk of developing dementia in the near future.
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A new Mayo Clinic study found that the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment was 1.5 times higher in men than in women.
The research, part of the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, also showed a prevalence rate of 16 percent. The study will be published in the September issue of Neurology.
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Mild Cognitive Impairment is More Common in Men
“The finding that the frequency of mild cognitive impairment is greater in men was unexpected, since the frequency of Alzheimer’s disease is actually greater in women.
It warrants further study,” says Ronald Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., neurologist and director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
“If we consider the 16 percent prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in individuals without dementia, then add the 10-11 percent of individuals who already have dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, we’re looking at 25 percent or more of the population aged 70 or older who have dementia or are at risk of developing dementia in the near future.
With the aging of America, these numbers are staggering and the impact on the health care economy, as well as on individuals and their families, is quite impressive. The need for early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention is increasingly important.”
Dr. Petersen and his team conducted a population-based, random sample of about 2000 individuals age 70-89 years who live in Olmsted County, Minnesota.
They recruited 1969 individuals without dementia and found that 329 of these qualified for the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment. The study found that 16 percent of individuals without dementia had mild cognitive impairment. A total of 19 percent of men had mild cognitive impairment, compared to 14 percent of women.
The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging, as well as the Robert H. and Clarice Smith and Abigail Van Buren Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program at Mayo Clinic.
The incidence of MCI differs by subtype and is higher in men
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Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room
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