Overview

• 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.