A recent study cautions that the risk of early-onset dementia may be associated with factors such as alcohol consumption, depression, and vitamin D deficiency.
Drinking, vitamin D deficiency both linked to early-onset dementia (Photo: Healthgrades)
15 Key Risk Factors Discovered in Landmark Research
A landmark research by Exeter and Maastricht University found 15 risk factors for early-onset dementia, contradicting the idea that genetics alone cause it. The UK Biobank study of over 350,000 under-65 individuals found that poorer education, socioeconomic level, genetic variants, lifestyle choices including alcohol use disorder, and social isolation increased the risk of early-onset dementia.
The research, backed by eleven institutes including Alzheimer’s Research UK, also linked vitamin D insufficiency, depression, stroke, hearing impairment, and heart disease to early-onset dementia. Even though 370,000 new instances occur each year, the illness, which affects people between 30 and 60, has been understudied. The study highlights the relevance of international cooperation and big data in dementia research.
For the first time, the research advises addressing many variables to lower early-onset dementia risk. The results illuminate how mental health difficulties influence early-onset dementia, which typically affects busy people with jobs, children, and hectic lifestyles.
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Strategies to Mitigate Young-Onset Dementia on the Horizon
The study team thinks this revelation might usher in a new era in strategies to minimize young-onset dementia, changing our knowledge of dementia risk at both individual and societal levels.
Dr. Stevie Hendriks from Maastricht University notes that although young-onset dementia is commonly thought to be inherited, this research examines additional risk factors for a more complete picture. Alzheimer’s Research UK Head of Clinical Research Dr. Leah Mursaleen calls the study pioneering and critical in bridging a knowledge vacuum, urging for future research to expand on these results.
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