Scientists have discovered why the ancient Greeks and Romans rarely suffered from dementia

In previous centuries, neurodegenerative diseases were not so common

Did older people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease in ancient times? With dementia rates on the rise these days, this is an intriguing question, and a new study offers some answers. An analysis of ancient Greek and Roman medical texts suggests that severe age-related memory loss was much less common 2,500 years ago.

Dementia, the most common form of Alzheimer’s disease, is now at epidemic proportions and is becoming more common. An estimated 55 million people worldwide had dementia in 2020, and this number is predicted to double every 20 years to 139 million by 2050. But according to new research, this was not always the case. About 2,500 years ago, Alzheimer’s disease and related symptoms of dementia were extremely rare.

“The ancient Greeks had very, very few references to something like mild cognitive impairment, but fortunately we were able to find them,” said study author Caleb Finch. “By the time we got to the Romans, we had found at least four pieces of evidence pointing to rare cases of progressive dementia. We can’t tell if it’s Alzheimer’s or not.”

Examining Greco-Roman medical texts from the 8th century BC to the 3rd century AD, Finch and his colleagues looked for references to memory loss and dementia. But they found nothing that could be considered similar to modern descriptions.

Modern levels of dementia were not a “popular diagnosis” among ancient Greco-Roman older people. While mild memory loss was recognized by the ancient Greeks, the serious disorders that could represent Alzheimer’s disease were unknown. For example, the ancient writings of Hippocrates and his followers documented hearing loss, dizziness, and digestive problems in older people, but not memory loss.

Centuries later, a few records survived in Rome, but even these were very few compared to today. The philosophers Galen and Pliny the Elder wrote about the difficulty of learning new things and about people forgetting their own names. Cicero noted that senile stupidity is characteristic of irresponsible old people, but not of all old people.

To explain this marked increase in cognitive impairment, the study authors suggest that it may be an environmental symptom.

“The possible occurrence of late-stage Alzheimer’s disease and dementia during the Roman period may be related to environmental factors such as air pollution and increased lead exposure,” the researchers said. According to Caleb Finch, lead cookware, water pipes, and even leaded wine were widely used by Roman aristocrats.

Regarding the surge in dementia cases that is happening in modern times, the findings of the study may provide some insight and suggestions that modern lifestyle and environment, sedentary lifestyle and exposure to air pollution are to blame.