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HALIFAX – Researchers have discovered that frailty is a key risk factor for dementia.
A study done by Dalhousie University in Halifax and Rush University in Chicago found that brittleness worsened the effects of plaque and tangles – the scrambled fibers of protein that accumulate in some brains.
It shows that frailty can even be a risk factor in itself and that resilience is the most important protection against Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
The first study of its kind, published in Lancet Neurology, examined the autopsy and clinical data of 456 people.
The subjects were part of Rush University's "Memory and Aging" project and their fragility was measured using an index developed in Dalhousie that ranks physical health deficits and ability to function.
The researchers said that retirement homes were essential for promoting preventive measures such as social interaction, physical activity and healthy eating.
"We confirmed that there are many people who do not have dementia with a lot of plaques and knots," said Lindsay Wallace, PhD student in Dalhousie and co-author of the journal, in a statement. .
"These people were less frail. Conversely, there were people with very few plaques and tangles that had severe dementia. These people were very frail. In fact, they were even more than those who suffered from many plaques, tangles and dementia. "
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