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Dementia in western Europe: epidemiological evidence and implications for policy making
Wu YT, Fratiglioni L, Matthews FE, Lobo A, Breteler MM, Skoog I, Brayne C.. The Lancet. Neurology, 2015-08-21
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Dementia is receiving increasing attention from governments and politicians. Epidemiological research based on western European populations done 20 years ago provided key initial evidence for dementia policy making, but these estimates are now out of date because of changes in life expectancy, living conditions, and health profiles. To assess whether dementia occurrence has changed during the past 20-30 years, investigators of five different studies done in western Europe (Sweden [Stockholm and Gothenburg], the Netherlands [Rotterdam], the UK [England], and Spain [Zaragoza]) have compared dementia occurrence using consistent research methods between two timepoints in well-defined geographical areas. Findings from four of the five studies showed non-significant changes in overall dementia occurrence. The only significant reduction in overall prevalence was found in the study done in the UK, powered and designed explicitly from its outset to detect change across generations (decrease in prevalence of 22%; p=0.003). Findings from the study done in Zaragoza (Spain) showed a significant reduction in dementia prevalence in men (43%; p=0.0002). The studies estimating incidence done in Stockholm and Rotterdam reported non-significant reductions. Such reductions could be the outcomes from earlier population-level investments such as improved education and living conditions, and better prevention and treatment of vascular and chronic conditions. This evidence suggests that attention to optimum health early in life might benefit cognitive health late in life. Policy planning and future research should be balanced across primary (policies reducing risk and increasing cognitive reserve), secondary (early detection and screening), and tertiary (once dementia is present) prevention. Each has their place, but upstream primary prevention has the largest effect on reduction of later dementia occurrence and disability.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Wu, Y. T., Fratiglioni, L., Matthews, F. E., Lobo, A., Breteler, M. M., Skoog, I., et al. (2016). Dementia in western Europe: epidemiological evidence and implications for policy making. The Lancet. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(15)00092-7
Vancouver
Wu YT, Fratiglioni L, Matthews FE, Lobo A, Breteler MM, Skoog I, et al. Dementia in western Europe: epidemiological evidence and implications for policy making. The Lancet. Neurology. 2016. doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(15)00092-7. PMID: 26300044.
BibTeX
@article{wu2016-26300044,
author = {Wu, Y. T. and Fratiglioni, L. and Matthews, F. E. and Lobo, A. and Breteler, M. M. and Skoog, I. and Brayne, C.},
title = {{Dementia in western Europe: epidemiological evidence and implications for policy making}},
journal = {The Lancet. Neurology},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1016/s1474-4422(15)00092-7},
pmid = {26300044},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(15)00092-7}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Findings from four of the five studies showed non-significant changes in overall dementia occurrence.
- The only significant reduction in overall prevalence was found in the study done in the UK, powered and designed explicitly from its outset to detect change across generations (decrease in prevalence of 22%; p=0.003).
- Findings from the study done in Zaragoza (Spain) showed a significant reduction in dementia prevalence in men (43%; p=0.0002).
- The studies estimating incidence done in Stockholm and Rotterdam reported non-significant reductions.
- This evidence suggests that attention to optimum health early in life might benefit cognitive health late in life.
Why it matters
Comparing dementia occurrence across five western European studies, four showed non-significant changes, while one UK study found a significant 22% decrease in prevalence and a Spanish study found a significant 43% decrease in men. These findings suggest dementia occurrence may have changed over time, possibly due to improved education and living conditions, but they do not provide a treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (The Lancet. Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | The Lancet Neurology: journal h-index 457 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2016 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 368 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 30.7 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 38.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 28 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 34 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Carol Brayne: h-index 159 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Cambridge: institution h-index 1,973 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 11 institution(s) in 4 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26300044) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(15)00092-7
- PubMed: 26300044
- Original source →
- Free full text: Apollo (University of Cambridge) →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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