Signs of dementia may be detected as early as nine years before patients are diagnosed with the condition, new research suggests.
A University of Cambridge study reported 'subtle' impairments - from problem solving and number recall - are seen years before patients' dementia symptoms were clear enough to be diagnosed.
Researchers say their findings are a step toward screening at-risk patients and intervening at an earlier stage to reduce their chances of developing dementia-related diseases like Alzheimer's disease. Risk factors include being over 50, high blood pressure and not getting enough exercise.
