Exploring the association between cancer and cognitive impairment in the Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) study
Previous anecdotal experience has suggested that cancer may be protective against cognitive impairment, with a lower incidence of dementia. Similarly, patients who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s (AD) have a lower incidence of cancer.
This Australian study uses information from the Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle study, (AIBL), which is an on-going measurement of the development of cognitive impairment. As part of the standard data set, those members of the study who developed cancer were compared to the others.
Even when allowing for the small numbers (546); being about one quarter of the total AIBL participants, there is a definite trend, with less AD in the cancer group. The incidence of mild cognitive decline is similar for the cancer and non-cancer group.
Other interesting findings include the rate of cognitive decline which is less for patients with cancer. In addition, those people who showed mild cognitive impairment on initial testing were less likely to progress to AD if they had cancer.
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