Common medical condition seen years before dementia develops, study reveals
AOL.com • • health
Key Points:
- A University of Helsinki study found a link between late-onset dementia and severe infections, particularly cystitis and general bacterial infections, which occurred about 5 to 6.5 years before dementia diagnosis.
- The research analyzed over 65,000 dementia patients aged 65 and older, identifying 29 diseases strongly associated with dementia, with infections accounting for a 19% higher rate of late-onset dementia.
- Even after adjusting for other health conditions, the association between severe infections and increased dementia risk remained, suggesting infections may accelerate cognitive decline.
- The study was observational and could not prove causality; researchers recommend vaccination and future intervention trials to explore if preventing infections can reduce dementia risk.
- Experts note that while infections may independently influence dementia risk through biological mechanisms like inflammation, dementia results from multiple interacting factors including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and head injuries.
