NEW YORK: A new analysis based on two long-term aging studies – one of Roman Catholic nuns, the other of Japanese American men – provides what may be the most compelling evidence yet that dementia commonly results from a blend of brain ailments, rather than from a single condition. This is often the case even when an Alzheimer’s diagnosis has been given, say the researchers.
“The impact on clinical dementia and impairment is largely unrelated to the type of lesion, or type of lesion combination,” said a researcher. “Rather, the driving factor seems to be just the total burden of disease.”
The observation is not new. Based on several studies in the past few years, experts have begun to recognize “mixed pathology” dementia as a relevant model to explain the cognitive losses of older people.
But the new study is the most comprehensive documentation of the trend to date…