Delirium could accelerate dementia-related mental decline
The study, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry , is the first to show the multiplying effects of delirium and dementia in these patients. Episodes of delirium in people who are not known to have dementia , might also reveal dementia at its earliest stages, the research found. While both delirium and dementia are important factors in cognitive decline among the elderly, delirium is preventable and treatable through dedicated geriatric care. Further research is needed to understand exactly how delirium interacts with dementia, and how this could be blocked. "If delirium is causing brain injury in the short and long-term, then we must increase our efforts to diagnose, prevent and treat delirium. Ultimately, targeting delirium could be a chance to delay or reduce dementia" said Dr. Daniel Davis (MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL), who led the research while at the University of Cambridge. Scientists looked at three European populations -- in Finland...