Three Factors that Make your Brain More Vulnerable to Dementia

By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter

Out of a host of possible risk factors for dementia, three really stood out in a new analysis: Diabetes, air pollution and alcohol.

British and American researchers used brain scans to focus on a neurological network they labeled a “weak spot” in the brain. This network is known to be vulnerable to the effects of aging, as well as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other conditions.

The neural network only begins to develop during adolescence, and also shows signs of degeneration earlier in old age, explained a team led by Gwenaëlle Douaud, an associate professor of clinical neurosciences at the University of Oxford.

Her group examined brain scans from over 40,000 seniors, all of who also provided complex lifestyle and medical histories as part of the ongoing U.K. Biobank project.

The study looked at the impact on the targeted neural network of 161 different risk factors for dementia. These included blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, weight, alcohol consumption, smoking, depressive mood, inflammation, pollution, hearing, sleep, socialization, diet, physical activity and education.

Three risk factors appeared to weaken the network the most, Douaud said.

Continue Reading: https://www.medicinenet.com/these_3_factors_make_you_vulnerable_to_dementia/news.htm?ecd=mnl_day_032824