> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.coios.me/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Known dementia risk factors explain only a little of exceptional cognitive ageing
- URL: https://www.coios.me/known-dementia-risk-factors-explain-only-a-little-of/
- Published: 2026-09-16T21:05:59.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-16T22:09:01.000Z
- Description: In 3,513 Whitehall II participants aged 65 and over, education, female sex, absence of hypertension, fewer depressive symptoms, higher fruit and vegetable intake and greater social activity were each modestly associated with 'SuperAger' cognitive status, none strongly.
- Author: Daniel Ryan
- Tags: Healthcare today, Dementia, What linked data reveals, United Kingdom, #preprint, #confirms, #item, #source-2026-09

Whitehall II participants aged 65 or older were classed as SuperAgers if their verbal memory exceeded the sex-specific mid-life mean and their verbal fluency was within one standard deviation above the older-age mean. Higher education (OR 1.23), female sex (OR 1.30), absence of hypertension (OR 0.76 for hypertension), fewer depressive symptoms, higher fruit and vegetable intake (OR 1.08) and greater social engagement (OR 1.03) were associated with SuperAger status. The authors conclude these modifiable factors do not account for exceptional cognitive ageing.

*Why it is interesting: Tests whether the standard modifiable dementia risk factors explain the upper tail of cognitive ageing, and finds the associations small.*

Source

[medRxiv (preprint), 2026-09-14](https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.12.25333490?ref=coios.me)

DOI

10.1101/2025.08.12.25333490

Type

Preprint

Design

Cross-sectional logistic regression within the Whitehall II cohort, n=3,513 aged 65+

Verdict

Confirms prior evidence

Driver

[Dementia](https://www.coios.me/d-dementia/)

Driver

[What linked data reveals](https://www.coios.me/d-linked-data/)