Many people’s fears of old age--forgetting directions in your own neighborhood, losing the ability to take care of financial affairs, ending up in a nursing home--may be unfounded as research shows that memory can remain clear even up to 100 years of age.

Researchers found that a significant portion of people between the ages of 90 and 99 years, or nonagenarians, did not have Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Others in the group were memory impaired but still able to live relatively independent.

The study involved 111 nonagenarians who underwent neuropsychometric testing, functional assessments and comprehensive neurologic evaluations in their homes. A behavioral neurologist and a nurse conducted the tests.

The results are especially positive for those fearing mental and functional loss in their older years, as the research indicates that dementia is not an inevitable part of aging. Researchers noted that often children take over for their aging parents because they assume they are frail or impaired. However, the study found that many nonagenarians could function well independently.

Study results also found that mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition that often progresses to Alzheimer's disease, exists in people in their 90s. In the past, it was uncertain whether MCI could be diagnosed in people in this age group since many have some degree of impairment or assistance from family or friends.

Researchers wanted to determine whether nonagenarians, who are less well studied than other age groups, would be leaning toward dementia because of age alone, therefore making it hard to determine a normal cognitive level. However, despite age, researchers were able to identify people who were cognitively normal, mildly impaired or who had dementia.

Researchers plan to continue studying this age group to explore genetic and environmental similarities, as well as to determine whether patients with MCI who later get dementia have an underlying disorder or Alzheimer’s disease.

Neurology 2003;60:477-480

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Just because you get older, you don’t have to lose your mind. Even the experts at Mayo Clinic are able to confirm this. Your mind, of course, is one of your most precious resources to lose. However, just as you can preserve your mind, you can also keep your physical body in quite good shape. Let’s not forget one of the primary influences on aging: High insulin levels So we want to minimize the amount of sugar and grains we consume to keep our insulin levels minimal. Exercise is profoundly beneficial in this respect as it another potent influence that will lower insulin levels. Up until last year I was convinced that we all needed about one pound of vegetables for every 50 pounds of body weight. However, my understanding of nutritional typing has revised that. Strong protein types (like myself) actually need far fewer vegetables than that, and some people need dramatically less. Only about 25 percent of my diet is vegetables, and the vegetables are not the ones I used to eat in the past. Gone are the bitter collard greens, kale, red cabbage and lettuces. I have replaced them with spinach, celery, green beans, cauliflower and asparagus. These vegetables serve to better balance my nutritional type and normalize my pH and biochemistry, especially when I increase my protein and fat intake to about 75 percent of my diet. In contrast, strong carb types require virtually no red meat, up to 80 percent of their diet as fresh vegetables, and even some grains if they are healthy. They require this mixture to balance their own particular biochemistry. So here are my current Alzheimer’s prevention guidelines: Eat right for your Metabolic Type with plenty of raw foods and vegetables Exercise for three to five hours per week Avoid aluminum, such as in antiperspirants and cookware Avoid and remove mercury (fish and amalgams) Avoid flu vaccinations (loaded with thimerosal mercury) Related Articles: Early Alzheimer's Treatment Can Cut Costs Alzheimer's Epidemic is Coming