Natural disasters cause destruction and untimely death, but according to a recent study, they also carry a risk of dementia. Experts from Harvard University conducted a health survey of residents of the areas worst affected by the 2011 tsunami in Japan. Then using data from the survey, they explored the link between natural disasters and cognitive decline. They found that 20,000 people died as a result of the incident, and 100,000 children were rendered homeless. Now there is a possibility that due to this there has been a decline in the memory of the elderly.
Higher risk was seen among those who lost their homes:
During the study, over 3,000 people with an average age of 73 were questioned about their memory status. Those who lost their homes in the disaster experienced an increase in the rate of cognitive decline. Although, losing a loved one had no effect. The team says they linked dementia to increased loneliness. The unmarried, the less educated, and the elderly are most at risk of developing cognitive decline.
Lead researcher Koichiro Shiba and colleagues studied the data. Through this, they wanted to know whether the memory was affected by the experience of the tsunami directly and the magnitude 9 earthquake. According to Sheba, it is significant to identify particularly susceptible subpopulations, as this will help allocate public health resources in future emergencies.
Analysis showed that memory loss from the loss of a home can be like a stroke. It is also a risk factor for cognitive decline. The study also observed that low-income earners had higher rates of cognitive decline after a natural disaster. This could be because they were more likely to be older, unmarried, and less educated.
