A common mental health condition that affects around eight million Britons has been linked to dementia in a new study. Researchers found that older adults living with anxiety are at greater risk for the progressive condition.
Dementia is a syndrome, which is a group of symptoms, linked to the ongoing decline of the brain.
It can lead to problems with memory, behavioural changes and even mobility issues.
There are many factors that can contribute to your likelihood of developing dementia.
A key factor is age, as people aged 65 and above are most at risk.
While past studies have found a connection between anxiety and an increased risk for dementia, this is the first time both new-onset and chronic anxiety in older age has been found to raise your chances for dementia.
A team from the University of Newcastle in Australia, also found that when anxiety was resolved, the increased dementia risk association disappeared.
As part of the study, which was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics, researchers analysed data from about 2,000 people, with an average age of 76.
Each participant had their anxiety measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10).
Speaking to Medical News Today, study author Kay Khaing, from the University of Newcastle, said: “Anxiety is linked to dementia pathology — neuronal inflammation, neurodegeneration, neuronal apoptosis, and cardiovascular disease.
“Therefore, we hypothesised that anxiety might be associated with dementia risk, which led to our study.”
The participants were followed for an average time period of 10 years.
It was found that participants with chronic anxiety were associated with a 2.8 times higher risk of having dementia, while those with new-onset anxiety had a 3.2 times increased risk.
“Chronic anxiety is anxiety which persists for a long time,” Khaing continued.
“In our study, chronic anxiety is anxiety (that) persisted for at least five years.
“New onset anxiety is new or first detectable anxiety.
“In our study, new-onset anxiety is participants who did not have anxiety in the first examination but had anxiety in the second examination five years apart.”
As a result of their findings, the researchers believe “timely management of anxiety may be a viable strategy in reducing the risk of dementia.”
Khaing added: “The number of people living with dementia is increasing,” she continued. “The social and economic burden of dementia is also increasing.
“Dementia is (the) seventh leading cause of death worldwide and (the) second leading cause of death in high-income countries. Therefore, in order to prevent dementia, it is important for researchers to continue to find new ways in which a person’s dementia risk might be increased.”
Previous research by The Lancet identified 12 factors that can raise your chances of having dementia, which are:
- Being less educated
- Hearing loss
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Depression
- Social isolation
- Physical inactivity
- Diabetes
- Alcohol excess
- Traumatic brain injury
- Air pollution