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A brief update on dementia prevention

Ein kurzes Update zur Demenzprävention

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Abstract

A large number of published overview and original articles provide evidence and declare the need for immediate, appropriate preventive lifestyle measures to prevent the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, despite this, there are great difficulties in drafting effective guidelines in this field. This is mainly due to a lack of not only (comparable) randomized controlled trials but also a lack of homogeneous measures of type and degree of managed risk. Several risk factors for dementia are non-modifiable, such as genes and age. Factors related to lifestyle habits and vascular risk factors are classified as modifiable risk factors. While waiting for effective drug therapies and first-level evidence data, geriatricians, general practitioners, neurologists, and health professionals should be encouraged to improve early diagnosis of cognitive impairment and activate control strategies against vascular disease and unhealthy lifestyle habits.

Zusammenfassung

Die Fülle von veröffentlichten Überblick- und Originalartikeln zeigt eine deutliche Evidenz, um mit präventiven Lebensstilveränderungen frühzeitig gegen Demenz und Alzheimer zu beginnen. Trotzdem ist es derzeit schwierig, praktisch relevante Leitlinien in diesem Feld zu erstellen. Das liegt vor allem am Fehlen (vergleichbarer) randomisierter, kontrollierter Studien sowie standardisierter Maßnahmen hinsichtlich Art und Intensität möglicher Interventionen. Zudem sind einige Risikofaktoren für Demenz nicht veränderbar, wie das genetische Risiko und das Lebensalter. Lebensstil und vaskuläre Risikofaktoren sind jedoch als veränderbare Risikofaktoren etabliert. Für den Zeitraum bis zur Identifizierung effektiver medikamentöser Verfahren oder dem Vorliegen guter Evidenz sollten Geriater, Allgemeinmediziner, Neurologen und andere an der gesundheitlichen Versorgung Beteiligte ermutigt werden, kognitive Beeinträchtigungen frühzeitig zu diagnostizieren und Veränderungsstrategien gegen vaskuläre Erkrankungen und ungesunde Lebensführung zu aktivieren.

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Conflict of interest

The corresponding author states that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geriatrics, Marienhospital Herne, Ruhr University of Bochum, Bochum, Widumer Str. 8, 40667, Herne, Deutschland

    M.C. Polidori & L. Pientka

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  1. M.C. Polidori
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  2. L. Pientka
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Correspondence to M.C. Polidori.

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Polidori, M., Pientka, L. A brief update on dementia prevention. Z Gerontol Geriat 45, 7–10 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-011-0263-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-011-0263-5

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