A recent Yale-led study analyzed over 4.5 million US adults’ responses from 2013 to 2023, revealing nearly doubled reports of memory, concentration, and decision-making issues among people under 40. The share of adults with “serious difficulty” in these areas increased from 5.3% to 7.4%. While dementia is not the cause, researchers suggest growing awareness and early signs being missed may contribute to the rising trend.
Possible explanations include social and health factors such as diabetes, hypertension, lower income or education levels, and minority communities facing higher risks for cognitive impairment. Experts highlight the importance of vascular interventions in preventing stroke, heart disease, and potentially improving brain health.
The study emphasizes that protecting vascular health can also benefit cognition. Researchers aim to explore how population-level vascular interventions could help mitigate cognitive decline in young adults.
Source: https://beingpatient.com/young-adults-memory-focus-struggles-yale-study