70-Year-Olds Smarter Than They Used to Be, Swedish Study Finds
Date: 27.10.2010
Today's 70-year-olds do far better in intelligence tests than their predecessors. It has also become more difficult to detect dementia in its early stages, though forgetfulness is still an early symptom, reveals new research from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, based on the H70 study.
The H70 study provides data on cognitive symptoms that researchers have used to predict the development of dementia, and also to investigate whether the symptoms have changed in recent generations. The study involves a large proportion of 70-year-olds from Gothenburg, Sweden, who have been extensively examined over the years, including tests that measure memory, speed, language, logic and spatial awareness. New results from the study were published earlier this year in the American journal Neurology.
The study showed that memory problems were the only predictor of which 70-year-olds were at risk of developing dementia.
Original Paper:
S. Sacuiu, D. Gustafson, M. Sjogren, X. Guo, S. Ostling, B. Johansson, I. Skoog. Secular changes in cognitive predictors of dementia and mortality in 70-year-olds. Neurology, 2010; 75 (9): 779 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181f0737c
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