Patients who had changed versions of this gene showed early promise, often attending college, but then experienced
cognitive decline consistent with a degenerative disease.
As in prior studies among older adults, we found that obesity was associated with a decreased risk of dementia,
consistent with the hypothesis that, while obesity in mid-life may increase risk for later - life
cognitive decline and dementia, obesity at older ages may be associated with
cognitive and other health advantages.25 - 27 The trend toward a
declining risk for dementia in the face of a large increase in the prevalence of diabetes suggests that improvements in treatments between 2000 and 2012 may have decreased dementia risk, along with the documented
declines in the incidence of common diabetes - related complications, such as heart attack, stroke, and amputations.11 Our finding of a significant
decline between 2000 and 2012 of the heart disease - related OR for dementia would also be
consistent with improved cardiovascular treatments leading to a
decline in dementia risk.