Dementia

Cognitive dysfunction is defined as an unusually poor mental function associated with confusion, forgetfulness, and difficulty to concentrate. Factors such as ageing, and disease may affect cognitive function over time. Growing evidence supports the role of vascular disease and vascular risk factors in cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s Disease, and dementia.

DementiaDementia is a form of cognitive impairment where an individual loses the ability to think rememb... is an umbrella term for diseases in which memory, the ability to think, and later also language and the entire personality are lost. Alzheimer’s diseaseAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a form of dementia. AD and other types of dementia are most common in ... (AD) is a form of dementia. AD and other types of dementia are most common in the elderly. The disease is on the rise worldwide, but it is not an inevitable fate. Lifestyle factors such as exercise, not smoking, social contacts and a Mediterranean diet can help reduce the risk of dementia.

At present, there are no proven pharmaceutical drugs and therapies to prevent or treat cognitive decline or dementia, although a number of prospective epidemiologic studies have shown a lower risk of such conditions among light to moderate drinkers of wine and other alcoholic beverages in comparison with non-drinkers.  When the effect of different wine/alcoholic beverages was examined, the results indicated that only moderate wine consumption was independently associated with better performance on all cognitive tests in both men and women.

It is possible that the beneficial effects of moderate drinking noted in studies might just be a marker for an overall healthy lifestyle. The Mediterranean diet with whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, olive oil and moderate red wine also reduces the risk of dementia, as does exercise, social engagement, mental activities, and an optimistic outlook on life.

The above summary provides an overview of the topic, for more details and specific questions, please refer to the articles in the database.