:
President Joe Biden’s advanced age has been a focus of attention this week. The 81-year-old president has made headlines internationally for mixing up people and countries, as well as denying things he has said and done regarding the handling of classified documents.
Oskar Hansson, a professor of neurology at Lund University specializing in memory research, points to statistics that show 10-15% of people between 80 and 85 years old have dementia. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, affecting the brain with beta-amyloid and tau.
Hansson suggests that in the future, it may be common to take a blood test to check for Alzheimer’s in individuals between the ages of 80 and 85, especially those in high-pressure positions.
While memory may be affected by Alzheimer’s, judgment may not necessarily be impaired. Hansson explains that a person can still make sound decisions even if they have memory issues.
He also notes that there could be various reasons for temporary confusion, such as small vessel disease, Alzheimer’s, extreme workloads, or poor sleep.
Hansson draws attention to a previous president, Ronald Reagan, who was later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Studies of his speech patterns showed a decline in the number of words spoken, which was an early sign of the disease.
In addition to Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia is another common form of dementia. It affects memory, spatial awareness, language, and movement, and is caused by a lack of oxygen and nutrients to the brain from reduced blood flow.
It’s important to note that while cognitive abilities can decline with age, each individual’s situation is unique and should be evaluated comprehensively.
Source: 1177, Lund University
