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1 / 10Hearing loss is considered a key risk factor for dementia if left untreated. Doctors assume that hearing loss can probably lead to damage in the brain. Since brain areas are very focused on hearing correctly due to the hearing loss, other brain functions can be neglected. In particular, the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus, the interface between short-term and long-term memory, appear to be affected. The signals from the sense of hearing, which are becoming weaker and weaker, are said to impair the normal function of the nerve cells in the hippocampus, so that cells ultimately perish. Hearing loss should be recognized as early as possible and treated with a hearing aid to reduce the risk of dementia. Anyone who avoids hearing loss in middle age, for example by wearing a hearing aid, reduces the likelihood of developing dementia by an average of eight percent, according to the International Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care. © AndreyPopov/Imago 
2 / 10Social isolation and loneliness also pose a risk of developing dementia. This is shown by a large long-term study from Fudan University in China, led by Chun Shen. Accordingly, a lack of social interaction can lead to a breakdown of the gray matter in the brain over time and increase the probability of developing dementia later by about 26 percent. © Monkey Business/Imago 
3 / 10The most common psychiatric illnesses in old age include dementia and depression. Around one in five people suffering from dementia will sooner or later suffer from mild to severe depression. Depression and dementia are mutually dependent, according to the Dementia Guide portal. Those suffering from depression have a six-fold increased risk of developing dementia. Conversely, people with dementia are up to 50 percent more likely to be affected by depressive phases, accompanied by sleep disorders and a loss of appetite. © imagebroker/theissen/Imago 
4 / 10According to the “Ärztezeitung”, around 270,000 people in Germany suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year as a result of a fall or a blow to the head. Based on intensive long-term studies of 2.8 million patient data, scientists from the Universities of Washington and Aarhus were able to determine that the risk of dementia increases significantly even after minor trauma. The evaluations showed that a single serious trauma increases the probability of later dementia by 33 percent, and by 17 percent after a concussion. © Cavan Images/Imago 
5 / 10High blood pressure that is left untreated not only damages blood vessels and organs. Permanently high blood pressure can lead to chronic circulatory disorders in the brain. Vessel changes increase the risk of vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s and usually occurs due to circulatory disorders in the brain as a result of several small strokes. In a study by the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, MRI scans of the brains of more than 400 test subjects revealed that even people with slightly elevated blood pressure already had changes in the brain – the size of some brain areas was reduced. The higher the blood pressure, the lower the brain mass. Ultimately, further studies are needed to find out whether the visible structural changes in the brain will actually result in dementia. © Digitalpress/Imago 
6 / 10People who have diabetes and therefore need to check their blood sugar levels regularly are said to have an increased risk of developing dementia. According to “Ärzteblatt”, the connection between the two diseases is evident, although it is still unclear whether and which diabetes therapy could also prevent the cognitive deficits. Studies show that the risk of developing dementia is about 1.5 times higher in people with diabetes – especially in type 2 diabetes. In addition, women with diabetes are said to be 2.3 times and men 1.7 times times higher risk of developing vascular dementia. © AllaRudenko/Imago 
7 / 10According to researchers, smoking can damage the metabolism of brain cells, significantly increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s. The level of risk in an individual actually depends on the number of cigarettes smoked. Anyone who smokes more than half a pack of cigarettes a day has a 34 percent higher risk of developing dementia, as reported by the “Lung Doctors on the Net” portal. © Digirex/Imago 
8 / 10High alcohol consumption can trigger early dementia, as the “Ärztezeitung” reports. According to data from a French study with 32 million personal data, alcohol abuse is a decisive cause of early-onset dementia. Two-thirds of men who consumed alcohol at a young age developed dementia – and that before the age of 65. It was found that the probability of developing dementia is about four and a half times higher in people who regularly and heavily consumed alcohol. © William Perugini/Imago 
9 / 10Being overweight can promote dementia later in life. People who are overweight or obese in middle age are more likely to develop dementia later on, according to a 2011 analysis of the Swedish Twin Register by researcher Weili Xu from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. People with a BMI of 25 to 30 have a 71 percent increased risk of developing dementia, while those with a BMI of more than 30 are four times more likely to develop dementia. © Alfred Hofer/Imago 
10 / 10Lack of exercise is also one of the risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer’s. The progression of the disease, on the other hand, can be slowed down by sport. A research group led by Mychael V Lourenco found out in a study published in the journal “Nature Medicine” that physical activity and sport release the messenger substance irisin from the muscle into the blood and transport it to the brain. Alzheimer’s patients have reduced levels of irisin in the hippocampus, the “memory center” in the brain. In their animal experiments, the researchers were able to show that an increase in the irisin concentration leads to an improvement in so-called synaptic plasticity. This is particularly important for the networking of brain areas and nerve cells as well as for learning and remembering. There is still no evidence from clinical studies, but the irisin level could represent an important physiological connection between muscles and the brain and be of decisive relevance for the prevention or delay of dementia. © Westend61/Imago
2023-04-17 22:46:35
Basically anyone can get dementia and Alzheimer’s. In addition to genetic factors and age, certain living conditions and diseases can also promote the breakdown of brain cells.
In the course of a possible dementia illness, it is not only important to know which eleven symptoms become noticeable years before the dementia diagnosis and what is behind the seven-stage course of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Certain risk factors that can lead to dementia are also relevant. First, there is the genetic disposition that causes people to develop dementia. Aging also increases the likelihood of diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Both are among the primary risk factors. Unhealthy lifestyles, such as regular alcohol consumption and smoking, as well as certain diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, if left undetected or untreated, can significantly increase the risk of neurological brain disease.
Avoiding all negative influences as secondary risk factors could reduce the likelihood of dementia by up to 40 percent and help slow down cognitive damage, such as a Study shows.
Warning signs of dementia
- Difficulty with usual tasks at home, work, or leisure
- Challenges in planning and solving problems
- Confusion about time and place
- Problems in understanding visual impressions and spatial relationships
- Decreased or poor judgment makes it increasingly difficult to make decisions
- Problems with writing or speaking, finding words
- moving objects
- Loss of ability to reconstruct what has been done
- Withdrawal from social contacts and activities
- Personality change with aggressive traits
- depressions
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.
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