Dementia Risk May Be Twice as High as Previously Thought, Study Finds
The Risk of Developing Dementia
The risk of developing dementia may be much higher than previously thought, a study published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine has found. Older studies estimated that about 14% of men and 23% of women would develop dementia in their lifetimes. The new study puts that estimate higher, at around 42% for both men and women.
Why is Dementia Risk Higher than Before?
Prior studies suggested that about 14% of men and 23% of women would develop dementia in their lifetimes. The 42% risk these researchers found is much higher, which may be explained by several factors, experts said. Previous studies, including the Framingham Heart Study and the Rotterdam Study, both published in the late 1990s, included a less diverse group of participants, all of whom lived in the same city. It’s an issue, experts say, that’s pervasive in dementia research.
Dr. Monica Parker, an associate professor of neurology at Emory University’s Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, sees patients as a primary care provider at Good Samaritan Health Clinic in Atlanta. Many of her patients are immigrants and do not speak English.
“Most of our academic health centers aren’t set up to see non-English-speaking people,” meaning this section of the population is often left out of the research, said Parker, who is also the chair of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s medical, scientific and memory-screening advisory board and has been a paid educational consultant for Eli Lilly, Biogen and Eisai, three companies that make Alzheimer’s drugs.
Other studies may have struggled to keep in touch with participants who developed dementia, said Dr. Ted Huey, director of the memory and aging program at Butler Hospital in Rhode Island, who wasn’t involved with the research.
The researchers in this study, however, “did a very good job of following people,” he said.
The Causes of Elevated Risk
Past research has found elevated risk may be caused by higher rates of diabetes and hypertension in Black Americans, largely due to inequalities regarding access to care, and structural racism that can cause stress, which puts people at higher risk for dementia.
A lot of the elevated risk found in women can be attributed to the fact that, on average, women live longer than men — but that isn’t the whole story. A genetic variant called APOE-4, which elevates a person’s risk for Alzheimer’s disease, may raise risk more for women than for men in certain age groups. Research into whether pregnancy has any part in dementia risk has produced mixed results.
What Can Be Done to Lower Dementia Risk?
While certain factors that increase dementia risk, such as genetics or exposure to air pollution, may be out of a person’s control, the good news is there are plenty of ways to lower dementia risk.
Making sure hypertension and diabetes are controlled certainly will help with cognition, said Michelle Mielke, a professor and the chair of epidemiology and prevention at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina.
Getting quality sleep, which includes treating issues such as sleep apnea, can also lower dementia risk, as can eating a healthy diet. As a rule of thumb, what’s good for the heart is also good for the brain, and vice versa.
“We know that the vascular risk factor modifications that help your heart also help your brain,” said Dr. Josef Coresh, director of the Optimal Aging Institute at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Conclusion
The study’s findings highlight the importance of addressing the root causes of dementia risk, including social and economic inequalities, and of developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. While the risk of developing dementia is higher than previously thought, it is not inevitable, and there are many ways to lower the risk.
FAQs
Q: What is the estimated risk of developing dementia?
A: The estimated risk of developing dementia is around 42% for both men and women.
Q: What are the causes of elevated risk?
A: Elevated risk may be caused by higher rates of diabetes and hypertension in Black Americans, and by a genetic variant called APOE-4 in women.
Q: What can be done to lower dementia risk?
A: Making sure hypertension and diabetes are controlled, getting quality sleep, and eating a healthy diet can all help lower dementia risk.
Q: Is dementia an inevitable part of aging?
A: No, dementia is not an inevitable part of aging. While the risk of developing dementia increases with age, it is not a guarantee, and there are many ways to lower the risk.