Technology, food additives and pollution are the most likely culprits

May 13, 2013 20:21 GMT  ·  By
Air pollution now listed as a contributing factor to the increase in dementia cases
   Air pollution now listed as a contributing factor to the increase in dementia cases

Since 1979 and up until 2012, several countries experienced an increase in the number of people who developed dementia or other neurological diseases while still at an early age, and who passed away because of such conditions.

Given the relatively short time frame in which said increase occurred, specialists fear that the most likely culprits are technology, food additives and air pollution. Daily Mail quotes Professor Colin Pritchard of Bournemouth University, who commented on this phenomenon as follows:

“This rise cannot be genetic because the period is too short.”

“Whilst there will be some influence of more elderly people, it does not account for the earlier onset; the differences between countries nor the fact that more women have been affected, as their lives have changed more than men’s over the period.”

These conclusions have been reached after looking into how dementia rates have evolved in 16 different countries.

By the looks of it, the US is the Western country to have experienced the most alarming increase in neurological deaths between said years.