HEALTHeNEWS

Many people’s fears of old age–forgetting directions in your own neighborhood, losing the ability to take care of financial affairs, ending up in a nursing home–may be unfounded as research shows that memory can remain clear even up to 100 years of age.Researchers found that a significant portion of people between the ages of 90 and 99 years, or nonagenarians, did not have Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Others in the group were memory impaired but still able to live relatively independent. The study involved 111 nonagenarians who underwent neuropsychometric testing, functional assessments and comprehensive neurologic evaluations in their homes. A behavioral neurologist and a nurse conducted the tests.The results are especially positive for those fearing mental and functional loss in their older years, as the research indicates that dementia is not an inevitable part of aging. Researchers noted that often children take over for their aging parents because they assume they are frail or impaired. However, the study found that many nonagenarians could function well independently.

Study results also found that mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition that often progresses to Alzheimer’s disease, exists in people in their 90s. In the past, it was uncertain whether MCI could be diagnosed in people in this age group since many have some degree of impairment or assistance from family or friends.Researchers wanted to determine whether nonagenarians, who are less well studied than other age groups, would be leaning toward dementia because of age alone, therefore making it hard to determine a normal cognitive level. However, despite age, researchers were able to identify people who were cognitively normal, mildly impaired or who had dementia. Researchers plan to continue studying this age group to explore genetic and environmental similarities, as well as to determine whether patients with MCI who later get dementia have an underlying disorder or Alzheimer’s disease.Neurology 2003;60:477-480