Early dementia in young people: here are the 15 risk factors (but some can be changed)

Although dementia is much more common among older adults, hundreds of thousands of people are diagnosed with young onset dementia (YOD) each year. with onset under 65 years of age (the youngest case of Alzheimer's ever recorded was a 19-year-old boy).

Why does this happen? Most research has examined the genetics passed down from generation to generation to search for an answer, but in a new study published in Jama Neurology researchers have identified 15 environmental factors or lifestyleswhich can directly influence the onset of these symptoms. Therefore, not only genetics would matter, but a series of predisposing factors would come into play largely modifiable. “The most interesting thing is that for the first time we may be able to act to reduce the risk of suffering from this debilitating condition by targeting the factors we have identified,” comments epidemiologist David Llewellyn of the University of Exeter. in the United Kingdom.

What is young-onset dementia

Globally, there are approximately 370 thousand new cases of young-onset dementia every year. Typically a younger person is more likely to experience the form rarer than dementia
(in Alzheimer's disease, juvenile onset represents 5 to 10% of cases). In young people, memory loss is not very often the first symptom. In fact, young onset dementia is more likely to occur cause problems with movement, walking, coordination or balance. Many young people with juvenile dementia have no other serious or chronic health conditions. Genetics is responsible for around 10% of juvenile dementia, but the authors of the work wanted to investigate non-genetic factors.

The research team analyzed data collected on 356,052 people under the age of 65 in the UK. Here are the factors that were associated with a higher risk of YOD.

1- Low socio-economic status
2- Social isolation
3- hearing disorders
4- stroke
5 – diabetes
6 – heart disease
7- depression
8- vitamin D deficiency
9- high levels of C-reactive protein (produced by the liver in response to inflammation)
10- presence of two variants of the gene ApoE4 ε4 (a genetic scenario already linked to Alzheimer's disease).
11 – alcohol abuse (moderate consumption is correlated with a reduced risk, probably because people belonging to this group are generally healthier)
12- disorders resulting from the use of alcohol
12- low levels of education
13- greater fragility (measured with hand grip strength)
14- orthostatic hypotension (excessive drop in blood pressure when assuming an upright position).

“We already knew from research on people who develop dementia in later life that there are a number of modifiable risk factors,” says neuroepidemiologist Sebastian Köhler of Maastricht University in the Netherlands. “In addition to physical factors, mental health also plays an important role, including the prevention of chronic stress, loneliness and depression.”

Although the results do not demonstrate that dementia is caused by these factors, their knowledge helps build a more detailed picture. As always in this type of research, knowing more about the causes can help develop better treatments and preventative measures. I definitive By living a healthier life you can reduce your risk of dementia.

Many of these factors are modifiablewhich offers more hope to those working to find ways to defeat dementia rather than simply manage it.

“Young-onset dementia has a very serious impact, because those affected usually still have jobs, children and a busy life,” says neuroscientist Stevie Hendriks from Maastricht University. “The cause is often assumed to be genetic, but for many people we actually don't know exactly what it is. This is why with this study we also wanted to investigate other risk factors in this study.”

Alzheimer's risk factors (not just juveniles)

In 2017 the magazine The Lancet had listed the 9 modifiable risk factors for dementia (in general and not specifically for juvenile dementia). The landmark report was updated in 2020 to include three additional risk factors bringing them to 12. «We have known for some time – underlines Alessandro Padovani, director of the Neurology Clinic at the University of Brescia and president of the Italian Society of Neurology – that keeping some of the 12 risk factors identified in 2020 by a commission of the Lancet magazine under control can perhaps avoid, of course postpone the appointment with a neurodegenerative disease. High blood pressure, for example, is an under-diagnosed co-factor in 60% of the population. With the right prevention, 4 out of 10 Alzheimer's diagnoses could be avoided.”

The 12 Alzheimer's risk factors that each of us can intervene on
1-Hypertension
2-Untreated hearing loss
3-Cigarette smoking
4-Sedentary lifestyle
5-Obesity
6- Diabetes
7-Poor education
8-Alcohol consumption
9-Air pollution
10-Brain trauma
11-Consumption of alcoholic beverages
12-Passive smoking

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