U.S. seniors have better memories than English counterparts

Jun 29, 2009 11:03 AM

Everyone worries about memory problems as they get older. But U.S. seniors may have less reason to worry than their peers in England—they do a whole lot better on a standard memory test.

Several thousand people over the age of 65 were given the test, in both countries. The test consisted of listening to a list of 10 common words, then repeating them back immediately and again after 5 minutes.

The Americans did far better on the delayed memory test than the English. Researchers said the difference was what you'd normally expect to see over the course of a decade—so Americans age 75 had the memory of English people age 65.

The point of the study wasn't just to crow, however. The researchers are looking hard at the rest of the data from the surveys to try to spot the causes for the difference.

So far, they've found that American seniors were on average wealthier, and had more years of education, than English seniors. That accounted for some of the difference, because wealth and education usually coincide with less of a decline in memory with age. English seniors were more likely to report symptoms of depression, which can affect memory. Another study suggested that depressed older people in the United Kingdom were less likely to be treated with antidepressants than they would be in the U.S.

Finally, there's the connection with cardiovascular health. While more U.S. seniors were diagnosed with a condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, they were also more likely to be receiving medication for their condition. We know that cardiovascular problems can increase the chance of memory problems, either from stroke or from the brain not getting enough blood or oxygen. So more aggressive drug treatment might help preserve memory better for U.S. seniors.

What you need to know. While the reasons for Americans' better performance on memory aren't certain, the study suggests that getting treatment for cardiovascular problems may be important. Those blood pressure pills may not just protect your heart—they may protect your precious memories, too.

—Anna Sayburn, patient editor, BMJ Group

ConsumerReportsHealth.org has partnered with The BMJ Group to monitor the latest medical research and assess the evidence to help you decide which news you should use.

Take a look at 5 ways to keep your memory sharp, find out how having a parent with dementia can affect your memory, and read our Treatment Ratings for dementia (subscribers only).

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