To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Falls Resulting In Serious Head Injury May Cause Mental Decline In Elderly URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/E5E96.htm Doctor's Guide February 17, 1999
ST. PAUL, MN -- Feb. 17, 1999 -- Older adults who fall and seriously injure their head may develop rapid mental decline, according to a study in this month's issue of the journal Neurology. However, minor head injuries caused by falls have no affect on mental ability, according to study results. "This is really good news," said study author Heikki Luukinen, MD, PhD, of the University of Oulu in Finland. "Many people worry that a minor injury will affect how they think, perceive or learn. Rest assured, it won't." This study examined 588 Finnish adults age 70 years or older. Researchers recorded head injuries caused by falling accidents. Falls caused by a motor vehicles or bicycles were not recorded. Tests in language skills and other tasks were given at the beginning of the study and two and a half years later to evaluate mental ability. Twenty percent of all serious head injuries (fractures, cuts needing stitches or any other injury requiring medical attention) triggered significant mental decline. "The significant and rapid loss of mental ability is very serious," Luukinen said. "This loss can affect how a person handles a variety of daily living skills such as house cleaning, managing finances and maintaining personal care." Among those with minor head injuries, nine percent developed marked cognitive decline. Five percent of those with no head injuries developed marked mental decline. Advanced age, hypertension and use of mind-altering medications are some of the risk factors that increase the likelihood of falls causing major head injury, Luukinen explained. Among older adults living in their own home or in nursing homes, head injury is one of the most frequent types of injuries caused by falling. According to researchers, 500 falling accidents occur each year among each 1,000 older adults living at home -- about six percent of those accidents will result in major head injuries. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.