Research shows that dementia, especially at epidemic levels seen today, was unusual in ancient Greece and Rome, recommending it is a modern-day condition affected by way of life and ecological elements. Ancient texts and contrasts with the Tsimane individuals, who have low dementia rates, highlight the substantial function of modern environments in dementia frequency. Credit: SciTechDaily.com
A current analysis by < period class ="glossaryLink" aria-describedby ="tt" data-cmtooltip ="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>USC</div><div class=glossaryItemBody><span class="st">Founded in 1880, the <em>University of Southern California</em> is one of the world's leading private research universities. It is located in the heart of Los Angeles.</span></div>" data-gt-translate-attributes=" [{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex ="0" function ="link" > USC exposes that medical files going back 2,500 years seldom point out extreme amnesia, showing that contemporary times ‘prevalent dementia comes from contemporary environments and way of lives.
You may believe age-related dementia has actually been with all of us along, extending back to the ancient world.(********** )
But a brand-new analysis of classicalGreek and Roman medical texts recommends that extreme amnesia– happening at epidemic levels today– was very unusual 2,000 to 2,500 years earlier, in the time ofAristotle,Galen, andPliny theElder
The USC-led research study, released in theJournal of< period class ="glossaryLink" aria-describedby ="tt" data-cmtooltip ="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>Alzheimer’s</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>Alzheimer's disease is a disease that attacks the brain, causing a decline in mental ability that worsens over time. It is the most common form of dementia and accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases. There is no current cure for Alzheimer's disease, but there are medications that can help ease the symptoms.</div>" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex ="0" function ="link" >Alzheimer’sDisease, boosts the concept that(******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* )’s illness and associated dementias are illness of contemporary environments and way of lives, with inactive habits and direct exposure to air contamination mostly to blame.
Observations from Ancient Greece and Rome
“The ancient Greeks had very, very few — but we found them — mentions of something that would be like mild cognitive impairment,” stated very first author Caleb Finch, a University Professor at the USC Leonard Davis School ofGerontology “When we got to the Romans, and we uncovered at least four statements that suggest rare cases of advanced dementia — we can’t tell if it’s Alzheimer’s. So, there was a progression going from the ancient Greeks to the Romans.”
Ancient Greeks acknowledged that aging frequently brought memory concerns we would acknowledge as moderate cognitive problems, or MCI, however absolutely nothing approaching a significant loss of memory, speech, and thinking as triggered by Alzheimer’s and other kinds of dementia.
Finch and co-author Stanley Burstein, a historian at California State University, Los Angeles, read a significant body of ancient medical writing by Hippocrates and his fans. The text brochures conditions of the senior such as deafness, lightheadedness, and gastrointestinal conditions– however makes no reference of amnesia.
Centuries later on in ancient Rome, a couple of discusses turn up. Galen says that at the age of 80, some senior start to have trouble finding out brand-new things. Pliny the Elder keeps in mind that the senator and popular orator Valerius Messalla Corvinus forgot his own name. Cicero wisely observed that “elderly silliness … is characteristic of irresponsible old men, but not of all old men.”
Environmental Factors and the Tsimane Study
Finch hypothesizes that as Roman cities grew denser, contamination increased, increasing cases of cognitive decrease. In addition, Roman aristocrats utilized lead cooking vessels, lead pipes and even included lead acetate into their red wine to sweeten it– unknowingly poisoning themselves with the effective neurotoxin.
( A couple of ancient authors acknowledged the toxicity of lead-containing product, however little development was made in handling the issue up until well into the 20 th century. Some scholars blame lead poisoning for the fall of the Roman Empire.)
For this paper, Finch did not simply think of the Roman Empire or theGreeks In the lack of market information for ancient Greece and Rome, Finch turned to an unexpected design for ancient aging: today’s Tsimane Amerindians, an Indigenous individuals of the Bolivian Amazon.
The Tsimane– like the ancient Greeks and Romans– have a preindustrial way of life that is really physically active, and they have very low rates of dementia. An global group of cognitive scientists led by Margaret Gatz, a teacher of psychology, gerontology and preventive medication at the USC Leonard Davis School, discovered amongst older Tsimane individuals, just about 1% struggle with dementia. In contrast, 11% of individuals aged 65 and older living in the United States have dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
“The Tsimane data, which is quite deep, is very valuable,” Finch stated. “This is the best-documented large population of older people that have minimal dementia, all of which indicates that the environment is a huge determinant on dementia risk. They give us a template for asking these questions.”
Reference: “Dementia in the Ancient Greco-Roman World Was Minimally Mentioned” by Caleb E. Finch and Stanley M. Burstein, 13 February 2024, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
DOI: 10.3233/ JAD-230993
The paper was supported by funds from the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund and the < period class ="glossaryLink" aria-describedby ="tt" data-cmtooltip ="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>National Institutes of Health</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. Founded in 1887, it is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NIH conducts its own scientific research through its Intramural Research Program (IRP) and provides major biomedical research funding to non-NIH research facilities through its Extramural Research Program. With 27 different institutes and centers under its umbrella, the NIH covers a broad spectrum of health-related research, including specific diseases, population health, clinical research, and fundamental biological processes. Its mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.</div>" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex ="0" function ="link" > NationalInstitutes ofHealth (P01 AG055367 and R01 AG05442).
