Scientists say dementia is likely a “modern disease” because there are so few mentions of severe memory loss in ancient Greek and Roman medical texts.
Experts examined writings from 2,000 to 2,500 years ago – the time of Aristotle, Galen and Cicero.
The ancient Greeks recognized that aging was often accompanied by memory problems, which today would be diagnosed as “mild cognitive impairment.”
However, there was no evidence of anywhere near severe loss of memory, language and reasoning as caused by Alzheimer's or other types of dementia.
Professor Caleb Finch of the University of Southern California pored over much of the ancient medical writings of Hippocrates and his followers.
Scientists believe dementia is likely a 'modern disease' because it is so rarely mentioned in Greek and Roman medical texts (archive image)
An image of Hippocrates refusing gifts from Artaxerxes I of Persia
A bust of the Roman philosopher and statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC)
The text lists complaints of older people such as deafness, dizziness and indigestion – but there is no mention of memory loss.
However, centuries later, some mentions appear in ancient Rome.
Galen notes that some older people in their 80s have difficulty learning new things.
Pliny the Elder remarks that the senator and famous orator Valerius Messalla Corvinus has forgotten his own name.
And Cicero noted that “elderly folly…is characteristic of irresponsible old men, but not of all old men.”
Professor Finch said the findings, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, supported the idea that Alzheimer's was a product of modern life.
He added: “Among the ancient Greeks there were very, very few – but we found them – mentions of anything that would amount to mild cognitive impairment.”
“When we got to the Romans and discovered at least four statements that suggested rare cases of advanced dementia, we couldn't say whether it was Alzheimer's.”
“So there was a progression from the ancient Greeks to the Romans.”
It is generally believed that Romans and Greeks had an average life expectancy of 30 to 35 years, based on research examining tombstones from this period.
However, dementia rarely occurs until sufferers are over 60 – meaning the disease, which is thought to be caused by an abnormal build-up of proteins around brain cells rather than being an inevitable part of aging, has not become as common as it is now is.
Some historians reject claims that Romans and Greeks had such short lifespans, pointing to records indicating that people had to be over 40 to hold certain political roles and that a handful of people celebrated their 100th birthday achieved.
But although some may have lived to centenarians, it was much rarer than it is today.
Professor Finch suspects that as Roman cities became more dense, pollution increased and cases of cognitive decline increased.
Scientists don't know for sure that pollution causes dementia, but numerous studies have linked the two. Researchers believe they are tiny particles released by traffic exhaust that can potentially reach the brain – possibly via the bloodstream or nasal mucosa.
Additionally, Roman aristocrats used lead cooking vessels, lead water pipes, and even added lead acetate to their wine to sweeten it—inadvertently poisoning themselves with the powerful neurotoxin.
Some ancient writers recognized the toxicity of lead-containing materials, but little progress was made in solving the problem until well into the 20th century.
Some scholars even blame lead poisoning for the fall of the Roman Empire.
However, there is no concrete evidence that pollution or lead can directly cause memory loss.
To support their findings, the researchers relied on studies of today's Tsimane Indians, an indigenous people of the Bolivian Amazon.
The Tsimane people – like the ancient Greeks and Romans – have a pre-industrial lifestyle that is very physically active, and they have an extremely low rate of dementia.
An international team of cognitive researchers led by Professor Margaret Gatz, also of USC, found that among older Tsimane people, only about 1 percent have dementia.
In contrast, 11 percent of people aged 65 and older living in the United States have dementia.
“The Tsimane data, which is quite comprehensive, is very valuable,” Professor Finch said.
“This is the best-documented large population of older people with minimal dementia, all of which suggests that the environment has a major influence on dementia risk.”
“They give us a template to ask these questions.”
What is Alzheimer's and how is it treated?
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disease in which the buildup of abnormal proteins causes nerve cells to die.
This disrupts the transmitters carrying messages and causes the brain to shrink.
More than 5 million people suffer from the disease in the US, where it is the sixth leading cause of death, and it affects more than 1 million Britons.
WHAT HAPPENS?
When brain cells die, the functions they provide are lost.
These include memory, orientation and the ability to think and reason.
The course of the disease is slow and insidious.
On average, patients live five to seven years after diagnosis, although some live 10 to 15 years.
EARLY SYMPTOMS:
- Loss of short-term memory
- Disorientation
- Behavioral changes
- Mood swings
- Difficulty handling money or making phone calls
LATER SYMPTOMS:
- Severe memory loss, forgetting close family members, familiar objects or places
- Fear and frustration over the inability to understand the world, leading to aggressive behavior
- Eventually loses the ability to walk
- May have problems eating
- The majority will require 24-hour care at some point
HOW IS IT TREATED?
There is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease.
However, there are some treatments available that may help relieve some of the symptoms.
One of these are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, which help brain cells communicate with each other.
Another drug is menantine, which blocks a chemical called glutamate, which can build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease and inhibit mental function.
As the disease progresses, Alzheimer's patients may exhibit aggressive behavior and/or suffer from depression. Medication may be given to relieve these symptoms.
Other non-pharmaceutical treatments such as mental training to improve memory, which help combat this one aspect of Alzheimer's disease, are also recommended.
Source: Alzheimer's Association and NHS