Dementia Prevention: optimizing the use of observational data for personal, clinical, and public health decision-making.

ABSTRACT: Worldwide, over 35 million people suffer from Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. This number is expected to triple over the next 40 years. How can we improve the evidence supporting strategies to reduce the rate of dementia in future generations? The risk of dementia is likely influenced by modifiable factors such as exercise, cognitive activity, and the clinical management of diabetes and hypertension. However, the quality of evidence is limited and it remains unclear whether specific interventions to reduce these modifiable risk factors can, in turn, reduce the risk of dementia. Although randomized controlled trials are the gold-standard for causality, the majority of evidence for long-term dementia prevention derives from, and will likely continue to derive from, observational s

SUBMITTER: Dacks PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4487813 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature