2024-09-21 10:25:25
Is dementia in old age an inevitable fate? No. Almost half of all dementia cases can be avoided. This is the advice of the Brain Foundation on World Alzheimer’s Day.
Dementia is increasing worldwide. This is partly due to increasing life expectancy, but also because more and more people are living an unhealthy lifestyle. According to the German Brain Foundation, there is untapped potential here. Almost every second case of dementia could be avoided.
The key to this is to reduce the risk factors for dementia. The “Lancet Commission”, a research group from the renowned scientific journal “The Lancet”, recently added two new risk factors for dementia to its list: high LDL cholesterol levels and loss of vision. According to Prof. Dr. Kathrin Reetz, President of the German Brain Foundation, it is worth taking active action here in order to remain mentally fit into old age. There are now a total of 14 risk factors for the development of dementia in old age.
The current list of the Lancet Commission includes the following risk factors:
The German Brain Foundation recommends starting prevention as early as possible. “Even if the ‘Lancet Commission’ only locates one of the 14 risk factors, namely low education, in childhood, attention should be paid to exercise, avoiding obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels as early as childhood and adolescence,” says Prof. Reetz. She also recommends protecting children from concussions, for example by always having them wear a helmet when cycling.
“Overall, however, it can be said that the middle years of life between 45 and 59 are crucial for dementia prevention. That is why prevention should definitely be the focus from the mid-40s onwards, because this is when things can still be turned around,” says Prof. Reetz.
According to the German Brain Foundation, the risk factors lead to vascular damage, stress and inflammatory reactions in the body. For example, an LDL cholesterol level that is too high in middle age can promote arteriosclerosis. This not only increases the risk of dementia later in life, but also of vascular constriction and heart attacks as well as strokes. And according to the experts, this effect is long-term. “So there are many reasons to tackle this,” says the President of the Brain Foundation.
If the risk factors are treated or avoided, they can strengthen the brain’s mental function and performance (cognitive reserve) and reduce the underlying disease mechanisms. This complex interaction can prevent or slow down the onset of dementia.
According to the German Brain Society, the list of risk factors provides very specific tips for the everyday life of people aged 45 and over, with which you can significantly reduce your own risk of dementia:
“All in all, the following rule of thumb can be derived from this: eat healthily and exercise a lot and regularly, avoid alcohol and cigarettes, seek social contacts and go to your GP for a check-up and an eye and hearing test every two years in order to detect and treat possible dementia-promoting diseases at an early stage. It pays off: In this way, you not only halve your risk of dementia, but also reduce your risk of dangerous cardiovascular diseases or cancer at the same time,” explains Prof. Reetz from the German Brain Foundation.