Frailty with memory problems linked to later dementia

Only patterns involving memory impairment were associated with later dementia. These included memory impairment alone and memory impairment alongside difficulties with executive function—skills used to plan and organize—and/or processing information quickly. An odds ratio above one indicates higher odds than in a reference group. Education, neighborhood deprivation and loneliness were associated with cognitive frailty only when executive function or processing speed were impaired. The authors concluded that distinguishing these patterns was important for estimating future dementia risk and designing targeted interventions.