U.S. surgeons general: Dementia is our top public health crisis | Commentary

[Fiver]

Today's article from past US Surgeons General:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion ... story.html

Despite these staggering numbers, dementia remains little understood — when it’s not misunderstood — and garners neither the urgency nor the resources it deserves.

This is especially problematic because the latest science is telling us that dementia isn’t simply the inevitable result of statistical predetermination or old age, like gray hair or wrinkles. A recent Lancet Commission study noted, remarkably, that “around 35% of dementia is attributable to a combination of the following nine risk factors: education to a maximum age of 11-12 years, midlife hypertension, midlife obesity, hearing loss, late-life depression, diabetes, physical inactivity, smoking, and social isolation.”

[Julie G]

Very encouraging, Fiver. To have four past US surgeons general team up on this topic is HUGE. I'm very happy to see that they share our urgency and are pushing for cognitive decline screenings. It's a start.

[Fiver]

I agree!

From talking with doctors in my area it seems like they need a pre-packaged screening program to order for patients, where they get a report with recommendations. Maybe a set of blood tests, a questionare, and a cognitive test where a program scores them and generates a report. And recommendations about when to provide such tests. Otherwise, they don't know where - or when - to start.

They just send people to specialists - which can be few and far between, with long waiting times - missing the whole pre-symptomatic phase.

[mike]

Sounds like AI to me... Test A, B and C, then do X and Y. Of course X and Y are not just pills, but hard work.