Cognitive decline associated with mortality
Elderly men from Finland, The Netherlands and Italy (the FINE study) whose cognition declined in the preceding 5 years, had a 2-fold greater risk of dying in the subsequent 5 years. The mortality risk of the men whose cognition improved between 1990 and 1995 was not different from those whose cognition remained stable.
Many factors predict survival
At the start of the mortality follow-up in 1995, the survivors in 2000 were younger, had a better cognitive function, were more physically active and were less disabled. They also had a lower prevalence of heart attacks and cancer than those who died during the 5-year mortality follow-up period.