Cognitive Decline Rising Among Young Adults, New Study Finds
By drmichaellee, World-Today-News.com – October 26, 2023
key takeaways:
* A meaningful rise in self-reported cognitive disability has been observed among U.S. adults over the past decade.
* The increase is particularly pronounced in young adults (ages 18-39),with rates nearly doubling.
* Researchers excluded pandemic-era data and individuals reporting depression to isolate the trend, suggesting underlying factors are at play.
A concerning trend is emerging in the United States: more adults are reporting difficulties with cognitive functions like concentration, memory, and decision-making. A new study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, reveals a ample increase in self-reported “cognitive disability” across the contry, with a particularly alarming surge among young adults.
the study, led by researchers at the University of Utah, analyzed data from over 4.5 million survey responses collected between 2013 and 2023. researchers deliberately excluded data from 2020 to avoid skewing results due to the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also accounted for individuals reporting depression, a condition often linked to cognitive difficulties, though acknowledging this may mean the true increase is even higher.
The findings paint a stark picture.Nearly one in ten young adults (ages 18-39) now report experiencing serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions due to physical, mental, or emotional conditions – a nearly twofold increase from 5.1% in 2013 to 9.7% in 2023.Interestingly, the study also found a slight decrease in cognitive disability among adults aged 70 and older, falling from 7.3% to 6.6% over the same period.
“I was especially shocked by the change in rates of cognitive disability among those young adults,” said lead author Ka-Ho Wong, a research associate of neuroimmunology at the University of Utah.
The study defines “cognitive disability” based on self-reporting through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, making it a population-level assessment rather than a clinical diagnosis. This broad measure reveals that cognitive difficulties are now the most frequently reported disability among U.S. adults.
While the study establishes a clear trend,the underlying causes remain unclear.Researchers observed the increase beginning around 2016 and are currently exploring potential contributing factors.
“We were not able to say what drove the differences,” Wong explained, adding that further research is needed to establish definitive links. Possible explanations being considered include rising economic insecurity, increased exposure to environmental toxins, and changes in lifestyle factors.
This research underscores the growing importance of understanding and addressing cognitive health across all age groups, particularly as the prevalence of thes challenges appears to be escalating among younger generations.
source: https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214226
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