Health News Report

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Risk factors for dementia


IMAGE
IMAGE: Percentage of reviewed dementia risk factors for which evidence is available from different geographic regions of the world. view more 
Credit: University of New South Wales and Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
Amsterdam, September 3, 2019 - Globally, dementia cases are increasing at a rate of more than 20% a year. Most of these cases are in low- to middle-income countries. In a special supplement to the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, from the International Research Network on Dementia Prevention (IRNDP), an international group of scientists presents new research from around the world examining the potential risk factors for dementia and how to reduce them.
"This IRNDP issue demonstrates impressive progress in dementia prevention research and provides an invaluable collation of recent research and an up-to-date overview of the dementia prevention evidence base," commented Guest Editors Ruth Peters, PhD, and Kaarin Anstey, PhD, both of the University of New South Wales and Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia. "It also serves to highlight the substantial remaining evidence gaps and the next steps forward in this area of research. We have already achieved a lot, but now is the time to refine and develop our understanding to be able to build the next generation of dementia risk reduction interventions with translatable and applicable policies to protect human cognitive health."
With no cure for neurodegeneration or the diseases that cause dementia, there is an urgent need to link both knowledge translation and researchers more closely together in a global effort to tackle prevention more effectively. In this issue noted experts around the globe report on some of the ongoing and crucial risk reduction trials and highlight some of the population level considerations and the remaining evidence gaps.
"Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasingly recognized as a chronic age related disease resulting in part from a lifetime of what we do and do not do. There may be no magic pill or vaccine to cure AD, but there can be a lifetime of prevention. Evidence-based guidance of best practices is essential as we work to improve brain health throughout the world," noted George Perry, PhD, University of Texas at San Antonio, and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
Up to 30% of all late-life dementia is believed to be attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors. Risk factors for dementia include obesity, social isolation, and vascular and lifestyle factors such as diabetes or smoking. Other factors recently linked to dementia risk include poor kidney function, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep disorders, and air pollution.
Ruth Peters and colleagues examine evidence associating air pollution with later cognitive decline and dementia. Exposure to air pollution, especially fine particulate matter, is associated with factors such as inflammation, and higher cardiovascular risk including risk of stroke, which also raise the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. They conclude there is evidence to suggest a link, and that while more research is needed, further regulation and reduction of exposure has huge potential for health benefits and cost savings including potentially reducing dementia risk. "The growing evidence linking pollution to dementia emphasizes the need to address this problem," noted Dr. Peters.
Articles on risk reduction report on protocols for two of the many ongoing trials in dementia risk reduction: the Systematic Multi-Domain Alzheimer's Risk Reduction Trial (SMARRT) and the Maintain Your Brain trial; important adherence data from the Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) active-study; and an evaluation of an online health education tool for older adults in Malaysia. An associated editorial raises related questions on future trial design, intensity of intervention, and populations to target.
Contributors also examine some of the gaps in the evidence and draw attention to the lack of data across age ranges and in global populations. In a major, and important, synthesis of the global observational literature on risk factors for dementia, Kaarin Anstey and colleagues pull together the results of 40 systematic reviews. They summarize risk factors for AD, vascular dementia, and any dementia and highlight the lack of evidence for many risk factor exposures in midlife and a lack of data on risk factors for vascular dementia and from low- and middle-income countries. They identify important gaps in the literature and map out the findings in relation to age of exposure and geographical region. A related editorial focuses on the need for a life-course understanding and the importance of risk factor prevalence or saturation in particular populations or those with relatively small numbers (such as indigenous Australian populations). "Working together globally to understand risk factors for dementia relevant to specific populations, and how to bring about population level change in levels of risk, are key goalsl of the IRNDP," commented Dr. Anstey.
Further articles report on population-based approaches to dementia risk reduction in different countries including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Mozambique and Brazil. The identification of potentially hidden cases in Japanese communities and the importance of understanding the patterns of risk factor exposure, lifestyle, and available resources in different communities are highlighted in articles by Kenichi Meguro, MD, PhD, Tohoku University, Japan, and Deborah Oliveira, PhD, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and University of Nottingham, UK. Oliveira and colleagues compare the population-attributable risk for common risk factors in three very different Portuguese speaking countries, adding important data from low- and middle-income countries and demonstrating the variation in risk factor distribution between countries.
They point out that, after adjusting for non-independence of risk factors, 24% to 40% of dementia cases could be related to seven potentially modifiable risk factors in Mozambique, Brazil, and Portugal: low educational attainment, physical inactivity, midlife hypertension, midlife obesity, depression, smoking, and diabetes. Reducing the prevalence of each risk factor by 20% per decade could, by 2050, potentially reduce the prevalence of dementia in Mozambique, Brazil, and Portugal by 12.9%, 16.2%, and 19.5%, respectively. An associated editorial draws together the key threads in this area and highlights the nuanced nature of practical dementia risk reduction, observing that in the absence of disease-modifying treatments, population-based approaches examining dementia prevention have the potential to play a key role in reducing the incidence and impact of dementia worldwide.
"There are lots of exciting interventions underway and the field is now burgeoning with exciting new findings that can help develop practical advice on dementia risk reduction," noted Dr. Peters. "We expect results of several large interventions to become available in the next three to five years and are hopeful that will lead to significant advances."
"Working together globally will accelerate discovery and implementation," added Dr. Anstey. "Gathering evidence that is relevant to specific population groups and that can be translated into culturally acceptable and specific interventions is crucial. Science needs to inform policy and public messaging.
"Dementia risk factors come from multiple domains and it will take a concerted, interdisciplinary approach to tackle at local, national and global levels. Communication strategies for risk reduction will need to be culturally and country specific, and intervention work in this field is still preliminary in terms of demonstrating that dementia can be delayed or prevented. There is much work to be done!"
###
Founded in 2017, the International Research Network on Dementia Prevention (IRNDP) is a multinational network bringing together researchers who are working to reduce the risk of dementia across the world. IRNDP is the first single collaborative network of researchers to focus attention on prevention that is truly global. http://www.neura.edu.au/project/international-research-network-on-dementia-prevention
Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.
Media Contact
George Perry
george.perry@utsa.edu
210-458-4450

 @IOSPress_STM
http://www.iospress.com 

More on this News Release

New insights: Dementia, risk, risk reduction, and translation into practice

IOS Press
Journal
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease

Keywords

  • ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
  • MEDICINE/HEALTH

Multimedia

Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease
Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease (IMAGE)

More in Medicine & Health

  • Novel approach leads to potential sepsis prevention in burn patients Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
  • FAK protein linked to chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer University of California - San Diego
  • UM physical therapy professor authors new guideline on treating runner's knee The University of Montana
  • Obesity pandemic shifting cancer to younger people Case Western Reserve University
View all in Medicine & Health 

Trending News Releases

  • Study reveals 'radical' wrinkle in forming complex carbon molecules in space DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
  • Enzyme known for promoting cancer found to also protect healthy cells University of Maryland
  • Sleeping too much -- or too little -- boosts heart attack risk University of Colorado at Boulder
  • Plant gene discovery could help reduce fertilizer pollution in waterways Boyce Thompson Institute
View all latest news releases 

EurekAlert! The Global Source for Science News
AAAS - American Association for the Advancement of Science
Copyright © 2019 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • Latest News Releases RSS Feed
  • All EurekAlert! RSS Feeds
  • @EurekAlert
  • facebook.com/EurekAlert
  • Help / FAQ
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact EurekAlert!
Posted by Jonathan Kantrowitz at 2:41 PM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Newer Post Older Post Home
View mobile version
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

About Me

My photo
Jonathan Kantrowitz
View my complete profile

Blog Archive

  • ►  2025 (108)
    • ►  May (8)
    • ►  April (28)
    • ►  March (39)
    • ►  February (15)
    • ►  January (18)
  • ►  2024 (352)
    • ►  December (35)
    • ►  November (38)
    • ►  October (28)
    • ►  September (21)
    • ►  August (38)
    • ►  July (27)
    • ►  June (38)
    • ►  May (22)
    • ►  April (15)
    • ►  March (35)
    • ►  February (35)
    • ►  January (20)
  • ►  2023 (245)
    • ►  December (19)
    • ►  November (25)
    • ►  October (17)
    • ►  September (16)
    • ►  August (21)
    • ►  July (29)
    • ►  June (18)
    • ►  May (20)
    • ►  April (16)
    • ►  March (22)
    • ►  February (16)
    • ►  January (26)
  • ►  2022 (395)
    • ►  December (23)
    • ►  November (21)
    • ►  October (21)
    • ►  September (38)
    • ►  August (35)
    • ►  July (35)
    • ►  June (40)
    • ►  May (26)
    • ►  April (22)
    • ►  March (52)
    • ►  February (38)
    • ►  January (44)
  • ►  2021 (589)
    • ►  December (31)
    • ►  November (42)
    • ►  October (68)
    • ►  September (53)
    • ►  August (58)
    • ►  July (35)
    • ►  June (50)
    • ►  May (57)
    • ►  April (35)
    • ►  March (66)
    • ►  February (61)
    • ►  January (33)
  • ►  2020 (506)
    • ►  December (29)
    • ►  November (37)
    • ►  October (33)
    • ►  September (43)
    • ►  August (35)
    • ►  July (61)
    • ►  June (56)
    • ►  May (35)
    • ►  April (33)
    • ►  March (56)
    • ►  February (44)
    • ►  January (44)
  • ▼  2019 (824)
    • ►  December (46)
    • ►  November (36)
    • ►  October (63)
    • ▼  September (56)
      • New Practice Guidelines for Omega-3 Fatty Acids i...
      • Plastic teabags release microscopic particles into...
      • As we age, oral health plays increasing role in ov...
      • Hot flashes shown to be linked to increased risk o...
      • 'Report card' on diet trends: Low-quality carbs ac...
      • Exercise prior to breast cancer associated with lo...
      • Vitamin D and fish oil show promise in prevention ...
      • A healthy diet may help prevent kidney disease
      • Diets of US adults: too much sugar, saturated fat
      • Simple lifestyle modifications key to preventing m...
      • Fat mass index, not BMI, associated with cardiovas...
      • Boosting daily nut consumption linked to less weig...
      • Green tea could hold the key to reducing antibioti...
      • Onion and garlic consumption may reduce breast can...
      • Research suggests the happiest introverts may be e...
      • Exercise could slow withering effects of Alzheimer's
      • The importance of staying physically active and th...
      • Walking slower and pausing for rest may enable old...
      • Short stature is associated with a higher risk of ...
      • Those who consume tea at least four times a week h...
      • Physical activity may attenuate menopause-associat...
      • Daily aspirin may benefit many patients without ex...
      • HPV causes oral, anal, and penile cancers
      • Later puberty and later menopause associated with ...
      • Alcohol consumption in people with type 2 diabetes...
      • Vegan diet can boost gut microbes related to body ...
      • Don't make major decisions on an empty stomach, re...
      • Eating cheese may offset blood vessel damage from ...
      • Meatballs might wreck the anti-cancer perks of tom...
      • Skin cancer risk: The dangers of ultraviolet radia...
      • Once or twice weekly daytime nap linked to lower h...
      • Fatty foods necessary for vitamin E absorption, bu...
      • Use of antibiotics in preemies has lasting, potent...
      • Women's deep belly fat more strongly linked to dia...
      • World's largest evidence review: Nutritional suppl...
      • More time spent standing helps combat effects of s...
      • Hot yoga classes lowered blood pressure
      • High blood pressure accelerates cognitive decline
      • Eating mushrooms may help lower prostate cancer risk
      • Coffee may protect against gallstones
      • New study confirms the long-term benefits of a low...
      • Poor oral health linked to cognitive decline, perc...
      • Latest Health News
      • Sedentary lifestyle for 20 years linked to doubled...
      • Eating nuts linked with lower risk of fatal heart ...
      • Aspirin should not be recommended for healthy peop...
      • Sleeping too much -- or too little -- boosts heart...
      • Heart attack and stroke be prevented with sustaine...
      • Protein shakes may not be the answer for post-gym ...
      • Soft drinks associated with risk of death
      • Mouthwash use could inhibit benefits of exercise
      • Risk factors for dementia
      • Diet's effect on gut bacteria could play role in r...
      • Vitamin D: How much is too much of a good thing?
      • New guideline on treating runner's knee
      • Flu vaccination linked with lower risk of early de...
    • ►  August (63)
    • ►  July (61)
    • ►  June (90)
    • ►  May (78)
    • ►  April (86)
    • ►  March (82)
    • ►  February (78)
    • ►  January (85)
  • ►  2018 (772)
    • ►  December (70)
    • ►  November (90)
    • ►  October (75)
    • ►  September (44)
    • ►  August (78)
    • ►  July (69)
    • ►  June (63)
    • ►  May (53)
    • ►  April (69)
    • ►  March (53)
    • ►  February (34)
    • ►  January (74)
  • ►  2017 (741)
    • ►  December (44)
    • ►  November (92)
    • ►  October (55)
    • ►  September (56)
    • ►  August (70)
    • ►  July (49)
    • ►  June (79)
    • ►  May (65)
    • ►  April (47)
    • ►  March (57)
    • ►  February (71)
    • ►  January (56)
  • ►  2016 (487)
    • ►  December (38)
    • ►  November (56)
    • ►  October (72)
    • ►  September (20)
    • ►  August (38)
    • ►  July (36)
    • ►  June (27)
    • ►  May (51)
    • ►  April (37)
    • ►  March (39)
    • ►  February (35)
    • ►  January (38)
  • ►  2015 (499)
    • ►  December (34)
    • ►  November (37)
    • ►  October (31)
    • ►  September (43)
    • ►  August (38)
    • ►  July (34)
    • ►  June (47)
    • ►  May (43)
    • ►  April (52)
    • ►  March (61)
    • ►  February (36)
    • ►  January (43)
  • ►  2014 (492)
    • ►  December (57)
    • ►  November (35)
    • ►  October (46)
    • ►  September (52)
    • ►  August (27)
    • ►  July (23)
    • ►  June (35)
    • ►  May (47)
    • ►  April (51)
    • ►  March (39)
    • ►  February (44)
    • ►  January (36)
  • ►  2013 (367)
    • ►  December (24)
    • ►  November (33)
    • ►  October (41)
    • ►  September (30)
    • ►  August (22)
    • ►  July (24)
    • ►  June (16)
    • ►  May (41)
    • ►  April (39)
    • ►  March (33)
    • ►  February (35)
    • ►  January (29)
  • ►  2012 (480)
    • ►  December (26)
    • ►  November (53)
    • ►  October (60)
    • ►  September (26)
    • ►  August (34)
    • ►  July (23)
    • ►  June (45)
    • ►  May (44)
    • ►  April (45)
    • ►  March (54)
    • ►  February (34)
    • ►  January (36)
  • ►  2011 (466)
    • ►  December (27)
    • ►  November (36)
    • ►  October (37)
    • ►  September (37)
    • ►  August (55)
    • ►  July (32)
    • ►  June (41)
    • ►  May (52)
    • ►  April (43)
    • ►  March (33)
    • ►  February (32)
    • ►  January (41)
  • ►  2010 (466)
    • ►  December (31)
    • ►  November (34)
    • ►  October (24)
    • ►  September (34)
    • ►  August (36)
    • ►  July (34)
    • ►  June (55)
    • ►  May (42)
    • ►  April (55)
    • ►  March (42)
    • ►  February (32)
    • ►  January (47)
  • ►  2009 (256)
    • ►  December (28)
    • ►  November (38)
    • ►  October (24)
    • ►  September (38)
    • ►  August (34)
    • ►  July (25)
    • ►  June (22)
    • ►  May (24)
    • ►  April (10)
    • ►  March (3)
    • ►  February (4)
    • ►  January (6)
  • ►  2008 (20)
    • ►  December (6)
    • ►  November (7)
    • ►  October (5)
    • ►  July (2)
  • ►  2007 (336)
    • ►  October (2)
    • ►  August (6)
    • ►  July (23)
    • ►  June (69)
    • ►  May (72)
    • ►  April (46)
    • ►  March (44)
    • ►  February (38)
    • ►  January (36)
  • ►  2006 (48)
    • ►  December (43)
    • ►  November (5)
Ethereal theme. Powered by Blogger.