Doctors underdiagnose early-stage dementia

+ ancient horse species in the Americas US Edition - Today's top story: New studies suggest millions with mild cognitive impairment go undiagnosed, often until it's too late [View in browser]( US Edition | 27 March 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( On the pharmaceutical front, there are signs that medications have the potential to treat problems brought on by Alzheimer’s disease. But a recent pair of studies shows that detection of cognitive problems in older people [goes undetected for millions of Americans](. In one study, Soeren Mattke and Ying Liu of USC Dornsife estimated that only 8% of cases of mild cognitive impairment they expected based on a statistical model had actually been diagnosed. A second analysis of detection rates for cognitive impairment found that nearly all primary care physicians underdiagnosed mild cognitive impairment in people 65 or older. For anyone in this age group or with loved ones getting older, the results point to the need to track cognitive decline more carefully. As Mattke and Liu write, minor problems such as memory lapses, which can be easy to overlook or consider part of the normal aging process, can be early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or can progress to dementia. “People, particularly those in their 60s and beyond, as well as their families and friends, need to be vigilant about cognitive decline, bring it up during doctor’s appointments and insist on a formal assessment,” they write, adding that the latest generation of medications must be used in early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Also in this week’s science news: - [Tattoo ink can cause allergies]( - [Climate change has come to your garden]( - [How to design solar electricity rates equitably and efficiently]( If there’s a subject you’d like our team of science editors to investigate, please reply to this email. Martin LaMonica Director of Editorial Projects and Newsletters Today's newsletter supported by [readers like you.]( Mild cognitive impairment can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. ivanastar/iStock via Getty Images Plus [New studies suggest millions with mild cognitive impairment go undiagnosed, often until it’s too late]( Soeren Mattke, University of Southern California; Ying Liu, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Medicare covers an annual well-check visit that could potentially identify cognitive issues, but only about half of beneficiaries take advantage of them. People have collected fossil horses throughout North America for centuries. Florida Museum/Mary Warrick [Horses lived in the Americas for millions of years – new research helps paleontologists understand the fossils we’ve found and those that are missing from the record]( Stephanie Killingsworth, University of Florida; Bruce J. MacFadden, University of Florida Horse fossils are abundant and widespread across North America. Scientists often use their long history to illustrate how species evolve in response to a changing environment. Cracked roads and sidewalks generate big costs for cities. AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez [Thin, bacteria-coated fibers could lead to self-healing concrete that fills in its own cracks]( Mohammad Houshmand, Drexel University; Yaghoob Farnam, Drexel University Your skin heals from cuts and scrapes on its own − what if concrete could do that too? [What is dirt? There’s a whole wriggling world alive in the ground beneath our feet, as a soil scientist explains]( Brian Darby, University of North Dakota Rock dust is only part of the story of soil. Living creatures, many of them too tiny to see, keep that soil healthy for growing everything from food to forests. [Fighting every wildfire ensures the big fires are more extreme, and may harm forests’ ability to adapt to climate change]( Mark Kreider, University of Montana A new study offers a rare window into the hidden effects of aggressive fire suppression that go beyond fuel accumulation. The practice may even change the course of forest evolution. [How AI and a popular card game can help engineers predict catastrophic failure – by finding the absence of a pattern]( John Edward McCarthy, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis What mathematicians call ‘disordered collections’ can help engineers explore real-world worst-case scenarios. The simple card game Set illustrates how to predict internet and electrical grid failures. [EPA’s new auto emissions standard will speed the transition to cleaner cars, while also addressing consumer and industry concerns]( Alan Jenn, University of California, Davis The new rule isn’t a mandate for electric vehicles, but it will sharply increase their market share over the coming decade. - [Disasters like bridge collapses put transportation agencies’ emergency plans to the test]( Lee D. Han, University of Tennessee Transportation agencies plan for events like major bridge or highway collapses, but these events can disrupt traffic for months and affect residential neighborhoods as well as motorists. - [An eclipse for everyone – how visually impaired students can ‘get a feel for’ eclipses]( Cassandra Runyon, College of Charleston; David Hurd, Pennsylvania Western University Eclipses are rare, fantastic celestial events. Here’s how educators can help visually impaired students enjoy eclipses alongside their sighted peers. - [Cancer often requires more than one treatment − an oncologist explains why some patients like Kate Middleton receive both chemotherapy and surgery]( Alexander Olawaiye, University of Pittsburgh There are many approaches to treating cancer. Which ones work best is determined on an individual basis and informed by each tumor. - [Generative AI could leave users holding the bag for copyright violations]( Anjana Susarla, Michigan State University With the right prompts, AI users can mimic copyrighted works. There’s no easy technical or legal fix. - [Climate change is shifting the zones where plants grow – here’s what that could mean for your garden]( - [California is wrestling with electricity prices – here’s how to design a system that covers the cost of fixing the grid while keeping prices fair]( - [What’s in tattoo ink? 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