Early-onset dementia: 15 factors that put you at risk

If dementia mainly affects the elderly, even very elderly, 6% to 10% of cases occur before the age of 65. Few studies have been carried out on these early forms, although there are around 370,000 new cases each year worldwide.

Researchers from the universities of Exeter and Maastricht have decided to join forces to better understand the development of early-onset dementia. They published the fruit of their work in the journal JAMA Neurology on December 26, 2023.

Early dementia: factors similar to the late form

For this research, scientists reviewed the files of more than 350,000 participants under the age of 65 who took part in the UK Biobank study. The team assessed a wide range of risk factors ranging from genetic predispositions, lifestyle and environmental influences. Their analysis made it possible to identify 15 factors considerably increasing the risks of developing early dementia.

It is :

• a low level of education: people who had higher education were less affected by early dementia;
• low socio-economic status;
• a genetic variation: people carrying allele 2 of apolipoprotein ε4 have an increased risk of developing dementia before age 65;
• alcohol use disorders;
• social isolation;
• vitamin D deficiency;
• high levels of C-reactive protein: this protein, synthesized mainly by the liver, is present in the blood during acute inflammation;
• the Depression ;
• strokes;
• hearing impairment;
• heart disease;
• diabetes ;
• orthostatic hypotension: this is a drop in blood pressure when moving from a lying position to a standing position;
• physical fragility: the study shows that participants with good grip strength, a sign of good physical condition, had less risk of developing the disease;
• do not drink alcohol: if excess alcohol and the diseases that accompany it lead to an increased risk of early dementia, the absence of consumption has also been identified as a risk factor by researchers.

The team notes that these factors are “similar to those of late-onset dementia.

“Take steps to reduce the risk” of early dementia

Based on their findings, the scientists believe it may be possible to reduce the risk of early-onset dementia by focusing on health and lifestyle factors. “We may be able to take steps to reduce the risk of this debilitating disease by targeting a range of these factors.”explains Professor David Llewellyn of the University of Exeter in a communicated.

For the team, it is essential to act, because the “Early onset dementia has a very serious impact.” “Those affected generally still have jobs, children and busy lives. The cause is often assumed to be genetic, but for many people we don’t know exactly what the reason is. This is why we also wanted to study other risk factors in this study”recalls Dr Stevie Hendriks, researcher at Maastricht University, who also participated in the research.