The latest research of Professor Colin Pritchard, Bournemouth University, published in April 2013 in the Journal of Public Health (see abstract here) has found a sharp rise of dementia and other neurological deaths in people under 74 which cannot be attributed to the fact that we are living longer. "Considering the changes over the last 30 years," says Professor Pritchard, "the explosion in electronic devices, rises in background non-ionising radiation- PC’s, micro waves, TV’s, mobile phones; road and air transport up four-fold increasing background petro-chemical pollution; chemical additives to food etc. There is no one factor, rather the likely interaction between all these environmental triggers." Of the 10 biggest Western countries, the United States had the worst increase in all neurological deaths, men up 66% and women 92% between 1979-2010: in terms of numbers of deaths, 14,500, now more than 28,500 deaths. Dementia and neurological deaths are starting earlier and affecting people under 55 years of age.
Bournemouth University / AlphaGalileo Foundation, 10 May 2013
Professor Colin Pritchard’s latest research published in Public Health Journal has found that the sharp rise of dementia and other neurological deaths in people under 74 cannot be put down to the fact that we are living longer – the rise is because a higher proportion of old people are being affected by such conditions, and what is really alarming, it is starting earlier and affecting people under 55 years.
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