Dementia is more common in older people, and hundreds of thousands of people have been diagnosed with it. early-onset dementia (YOD) Year after year – and extensive research has made it pretty clear why.
largely Previous research The field has been studying genetics that are passed down through generations, and here the team was able to identify 15 different lifestyle and health factors associated with YOD risk.
“This is the largest and most robust study of its kind ever conducted.” Said David Llewellyn, an epidemiologist at the University of Exeter in the UK, said:
“Interestingly, for the first time, we have shown that by targeting a variety of factors, we may be able to take steps to reduce the risk of this debilitating disease.”
The research team analyzed data collected from 356,052 people under the age of 65 in the UK. Low socio-economic status, social isolation, hearing loss, stroke, diabetes, heart disease and depression were all associated with increased risk of YOD.
Vitamin D deficiency and high levels of C-reactive protein (produced by the liver in response to inflammation) also meant they were at higher risk, as was having two ApoE4 ε4 gene variants ( genetic scenario has already been established) associated with Alzheimer’s disease).
Researchers described the relationship between alcohol and YOD as “complex.” Alcohol abuse was associated with increased risk, whereas moderate to heavy drinking was associated with decreased risk. This is probably because people in this second group are usually healthier in general (note that people who abstain from alcohol often do so based on medical reasons). please).
Higher levels of formal education and lower physical frailty (as measured by higher grip strength) were also associated with lower YOD risk. All of this will help fill in the gaps in knowledge about YOD.
“We already knew from studies of people who develop dementia later in life that there is a set of modifiable risk factors.” Said Sebastian Köhler, a neuroepidemiologist at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, says:
“In addition to physical factors, mental health also plays an important role, including avoiding chronic stress, loneliness, and depression.”
This result does not prove that dementia is caused by these factors, but it helps provide a more detailed picture. As always with this type of research, learning more about the causes can help develop better treatments and preventive measures.
Many of these factors are modifiable, which brings more hope to those working to find ways to not only manage but overcome dementia. Ultimately, the risk of dementia may be reduced by living a healthier lifestyle.
“Early-onset dementia has a very serious impact because those affected usually still have jobs, have children and lead busy lives.” Said says Stevie Hendricks, a neuroscientist at Maastricht University.
“The cause is often thought to be genetic, but for many people we don’t know exactly what the cause is, so this study also wanted to look at other risk factors. I thought about it.”
This research JAMA Neurology.
A version of this article was first published in January 2024.
