Dementia Rare in Ancient Greece and Rome, Modern Lifestyles to Blame for Rise, Study Suggests

Analysis of classical medical texts reveals low dementia rates in antiquity, with modern sedentary behavior and pollution likely culprits for its prevalence today.

• Dementia was extremely rare in ancient Greece and Rome, according to a new analysis of classical medical texts.
• The study suggests that Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are diseases of modern environments and lifestyles, with sedentary behavior and exposure to air pollution largely to blame.
• Roman cities' increasing density and pollution, along with the use of lead in cooking vessels, water pipes, and wine, may have led to an uptick in cognitive decline.
• The Tsimane Amerindians, an Indigenous people of the Bolivian Amazon with a preindustrial, physically active lifestyle, have extremely low rates of dementia, further supporting the environmental link.
• The study was supported by funds from the Cure Alzheimer's Fund and the National Institutes of Health.

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