70 year olds are smarter now than they used to be

According to current intelligence tests, 70-year-old people are much smarter now than they used to be. Also, detecting dementia early on has proven to be more difficult according to information from a new study at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

This study, called H70 reveals data about cognitive symptoms researchers are using to help determine how dementia develops in whether or not changes have taken place in recent years. Involved in this study are 70-year-old people from Sweden who have performed tests to determine things like memory, speed, and overall awareness.

Using results from this test, researchers have tried to classify people that may be at a higher risk for developing dementia.

Individuals analyzed in this study were either born in 1901-1902 and examined in 1971, or born in 1930 and examined in the year 2000. Those 70-year-olds examined in the year 2000 (born in 1930) performed better than those individuals examined in 1971 on their intelligence tests.

One possible explanation for this could be better care during pregnancy, during infancy, and during youth in terms of nutrition, health, education, and other disease prevention.

The H70 study began in 1971 by examining 70-year-old individuals and continuing examination for 30 years. Data for the new study, started in the year 2000, is still being collected. More than 2,000 residents of Sweden are involved in these tests. The physical and mental health of these individuals has been tested, and is being monitored by researchers to help distinguish potential risks and outcomes as people age.