Not surprisingly, older age and poorer performance on cognitive tests were the strongest indicators of future dementia.
Other risk factors were more surprising, said Dr. Gary Kennedy, director of geriatric psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. Those included lower body-mass index and abstaining from alcohol, which contradict previous findings.
Still, Kennedy agreed with Palm when he pointed out that some aspects of the tool are not likely to be adopted on a large scale, such as an MRI.
More information
The Alzheimer's Association has more on risk factors for this disease.
SOURCES: Gary J. Kennedy, M.D., director, geriatric psychiatry, Montefiore Medical Center, New York City; Michael Palm, M.D., assistant professor, neuroscience and experimental therapeutics and internal medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, and director, Parkinson's and Headache programs, Texas Brain and Spine Institute, Bryan; May 13, 2009, Neurology, online
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