Study: Risk factors for early onset dementia, dementia before the age of 65, identified

[TBoneTX 45,522]

Study:  Risk factors for early onset dementia, dementia before the age of 65, identified

A new study from researchers from the University of Exeter in England and Maastricht University in the Netherlands has identified 15 risk factors that contribute to developing young-onset dementia.

Young-onset or early-onset dementia is when someone under the age of 65 develops the condition that causes memory loss.  [...]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/study-identifies-15-risk-factors-170532088.html

[milimelo 4,500]

Interesting. But how does someone not drinking at all and alcohol use disorder (aka drinking yourself under the table daily) work as a risk factor? CRP is infection level - it's high when someone is sick. So is it one of these factors leading to early onset dementia or 

all of them together or several of them compound to increased dementia risk? 

 

 

The 15 risk factors researchers determined were "significantly associated" with developing dementia early were:

• Lower formal education.

• Lower socioeconomic status.

• The presence of 2 apolipoprotein E4 allele.

• Complete abstinence from alcohol.

• Alcohol use disorder.

• Social isolation.

• Vitamin D deficiency.

• High levels of C-reactive protein.

• Reduced handgrip strength.

• Hearing impairment.

• Orthostatic hypotension.

• Stroke.

• Diabetes.

• Heart disease.

• Depression.

[millefleur 5,047]

5 minutes ago, milimelo said:

Complete abstinence from alcohol.

I find this to be weird too. How does abstaining from alcohol "threaten the brain"?

[TBoneTX 45,522]

I no longer have access to the pay-to-read JAMA articles and can't see the detailed data or the discussion about the individual factors.    

 

In general, the "teetotaler vs. drunkard" findings may be similar to what's been referenced in lay news reports of all kinds of medical studies:  light drinking -- one or two drinks/day -- is "healthier" than either abstinence or overindulging.  Specifically, the finding that both "complete abstinence" and "abuse" are factors indicates that extremes in alcohol-consumption behavior are associated with an increased risk.

 

The significance of CRP among blood markers suggests that inflammation may influence the development of young-onset dementia.

 

The authors have identified modifiable risk factors that could be targeted in dementia-prevention initiatives; however, the abstract of their paper gives no information on the interactions or combined effects of these factors.  I'd hesitate to draw conclusions about individual or combined contributing factors until more detailed analysis and research are performed.  At best, it seems to be a "hey, it can't hurt to work on lessening the impact of as many of these as possible" type of recommendation.

[milimelo 4,500]

8 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

I no longer have access to the pay-to-read JAMA articles and can't see the detailed data or the discussion about the individual factors.    

 

In general, the "teetotaler vs. drunkard" findings may be similar to what's been referenced in lay news reports of all kinds of medical studies:  light drinking -- one or two drinks/day -- is "healthier" than either abstinence or overindulging.  Specifically, the finding that both "complete abstinence" and "abuse" are factors indicates that extremes in alcohol-consumption behavior are associated with an increased risk.

 

The significance of CRP among blood markers suggests that inflammation may influence the development of young-onset dementia.

 

The authors have identified modifiable risk factors that could be targeted in dementia-prevention initiatives; however, the abstract of their paper gives no information on the interactions or combined effects of these factors.  I'd hesitate to draw conclusions about individual or combined contributing factors until more detailed analysis and research are performed.  At best, it seems to be a "hey, it can't hurt to work on lessening the impact of as many of these as possible" type of recommendation.

Let me see if I can get my hands on this article. I'll DM you. 

 

[Ban Hammer 13,403]

3 hours ago, milimelo said:

Let me see if I can get my hands on this article. I'll DM you. 

 

it figures a higher life form needs to help the primate that is still trying to descend...........

[yuna628 9,680]

Well it's one of those reports that seem to conflict with this one: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/reduce-your-risk-of-dementia/alcohol  Drinking in moderation did not seem to harm the brain, whereas alcoholism did and when compared to alcoholism vs not drinking the winner was clear. https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/06/health/alcohol-dementia-study-wellness/index.html

 

Here is something from 2018 talking about the harms of no drinking and drinking too much. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/news/2018-08-01/study-finds-long-term-abstinence-and-heavy-drinking-may-increase-dementia-risk

[millefleur 5,047]

3 hours ago, yuna628 said:

Here is something from 2018 talking about the harms of no drinking and drinking too much. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/news/2018-08-01/study-finds-long-term-abstinence-and-heavy-drinking-may-increase-dementia-risk

So how many of these teetotalers in the study are recovering/former alcoholics? I think that matters. I would imagine someone who abused alcohol for parts of their life versus someone who has almost never consumed it at all over their entire life would have different results. 

 

Need to study some mormons and other lifelong non-drinking groups to see how it checks out perhaps.

[TBoneTX 45,522]

8 hours ago, Ban Hammer said:

a higher life form needs to help the primate

There is no higher life form than the Central Chimpanzee, no man.