United States: In a recent report, scientists have discovered two novel risk factors associated with Dementia. However, as scientists reveal, these risk factors are “modifiable,” which means one could mitigate or reverse them.
More about the news
A recent research conducted by scientists with The Lancet Commission systematically overviewed multiple studies to show that high cholesterol in those under 40 years of age and untreated vision loss could be added to the commission’s running list of modifiable dementia risk factors.
Therefore, presently, the commission identifies fourteen pliable dementia-influencing factors. The list involves hypertension, smoking and, excessive drinking, social isolation, among others, as ABC News reported.
What does the latest report suggest?
The commission’s new report suggested that almost half of the global dementia cases could be traced back to these 14 modifiable risk factors. Therefore, policymakers and individuals could take steps to address this.
According to Lancet research, “As people live longer, the number of people who live with dementia continues to rise,” while “emphasizing the need to identify and implement prevention approaches.”
Moreover, the scientists revealed that cases of high LDL cholesterol have a link with seven percent of dementia cases; these are non-treatment of vision loss in later life, along with linkage with two percent of dementia cases.
According to Yale Medicine behavioral neurologist and neuropsychiatrist Arman Fesharaki-Zadeh, the recent addition of increased cholesterol levels and vision loss would make “mechanical sense.”‘
What more have the experts stated?
As per Fesharaki-Zadeh, regarding artery-clogging cholesterol, “there are certain parts of the brain that are more vulnerable to damage,” as ABC News reported.
“These are the areas that are especially vulnerable to hardening of blood vessels,” he added.
He says the link between raised cholesterol and the “hardening of blood vessels is quite high.”
Regarding vision loss, as Fesharaki-Zadeh notes, one might stop doing cognition-supporting activities such as reading or spending time with friends and family, which would result as a risk factor for Dementia in its own right.
Moreover, Dementia is considered a complex problem whose understanding only started to have a better understanding of the neurodegenerative disease.