Memory Lapse or Dementia?

Memory lapses not necessarily linked to dementia.
The Washington Post (2/9, Saslow) reports, "The risk of mild cognitive disorder and dementia increase with age," although "it's not healthy to over-interpret everyday memory lapses." The Post lists a variety of methods to help keep the mind sharp, including physical exercise, crossword puzzles, playing music or learning a new language. It also cites a study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which suggested ginkgo biloba, despite being praised as helpful to cognitive function in the past, "does not reduce the chances of dementia."
New study finds Mediterranean diet may prevent dementia. On its website, CNN (2/9, Landau) reports that new research set to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology suggests that "sticking to the Mediterranean diet, previously shown to reduce heart and other health issues, also may help lower the risk of having small areas of dead tissue linked to thinking problems." Lead author Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas says the study "relates diet to strokes," and "looked at people who had never had a clinical stroke, but may have had smaller strokes that went unnoticed." The researchers "found that people who most closely followed a Mediterranean-like diet were 36 percent less likely to have areas of brain damage, compared with those whose eating habits were furthest from the diet."