Diabetes, Air Pollution, and Alcohol Have a Big Impact on Dementia Risk, Study Finds
Diabetes, Air Pollution, and Alcohol Have a Big Impact on Dementia Risk, Study Finds Everyday Health
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Risk Factors for Dementia: Identifying Modifiable Influences
When it comes to dementia, certain risk factors, such as aging and genetics, can’t be changed. But other risk factors are modifiable, and knowing what they are can help you take steps to minimize their impact and protect your brain.
The Study
In research published at the end of March in the journal Nature Communications, scientists looked at 15 modifiable risk factors and found that three are the most harmful.[1]
“We know that a constellation of brain regions degenerates earlier in aging, and in this new study we have shown that these specific parts of the brain are most vulnerable to diabetes, traffic-related air pollution (increasingly a major player in dementia), and alcohol,” said the study coauthor Gwenaëlle Douaud, PhD, an associate professor with the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Oxford in England, in a statement.[1]
The results suggest that certain lifestyle changes could potentially help protect the brain from these risk factors. People can cut back on alcohol consumption, follow a healthy routine of diet and exercise to prevent or reverse diabetes, and try to avoid situations where heavy air pollution is present.[1]
Finding the Influences That Fuel Degeneration
In previous research, the scientists had pinpointed a “weak spot” in the brain — a specific network of higher-order regions that not only develop later during adolescence, but also show earlier degeneration later in life. They discovered that this brain network is particularly vulnerable to schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease.
For this new study, Dr. Douaud and her collaborators examined the brain scans of 40,000 adults in the United Kingdom between the ages of 44 and 82 to determine how the fragile brain regions were affected by genetic and modifiable factors — those that can potentially be changed throughout life to reduce the risk of dementia.
They separated the modifiable influences into 15 broad categories:
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol
- Weight
- Smoking
- Depression
- Inflammation
- Hearing
- Sleep
- Socialization
- Diet
- Physical activity
- Education
- Pollution (the amount of nitrogen oxide in the air)
- Diabetes
- Frequency of alcohol intake
After the last three, the most significant dementia risk factors were found to be sleep, weight, smoking, and blood pressure.
Claire Sexton, DPhil, the senior director of scientific programs and outreach for the Alzheimer’s Association, notes that these latest findings align with prior research regarding habits and conditions that can increase the likelihood of cognitive decline.[1]
Addressing Those Elements That Impact the Brain
Dementia — a loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and other thinking abilities — affects millions of people and is more common as people grow older. About one-third of all people age 85 or older may have some form of dementia, according to the National Institute on Aging.[2]
Dementia does not have to be inevitable, however. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that up to 40 percent of dementia cases may be prevented or delayed.[3]
Yuko Hara, PhD, the director of aging and Alzheimer’s prevention at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, further explains why some factors heighten dementia risk and suggests ways to reduce them.
Traffic exhaust is a hazard because the burning of fossil fuels creates nitrogen dioxide. Just as with diabetes and alcohol, this pollutant may harm the brain indirectly through increasing risk of cardiovascular disease (which is a known risk factor for dementia). The pollutant may also directly enter the brain, causing changes such as inflammation.[4]
“Although air pollution cannot be entirely avoided, there are steps you can take to reduce your exposure,” says Dr. Hara, who was not involved in the study. “For example, you can monitor air pollution levels in your area online or with an app and stay indoors on days with particularly high air pollution. You can also limit exposure to car exhaust by closing vents and windows while in heavy traffic.”
She adds that brain imaging research has shown that people who drank more than 14 units of alcohol per week showed significantly greater loss of brain volume than those who drank fewer than seven units per week.[5]
Furthermore, people with diabetes have an up to 73 percent increased risk of dementia and a twofold higher risk of vascular dementia than non-diabetics.[6]
Maintaining Hearing, Social Ties, and Learning May Also Stave Off Cognitive Decline
Although not as high on the list as other risk factors, hearing loss and education were also identified as factors that influence the possibility of developing dementia.
Hearing loss may negatively impact brain function, as well as contribute to social isolation and depression, which are both risk factors for dementia, according to Hara.
Research has shown that correcting hearing loss with a hearing aid and repeated counseling sessions with an audiologist, to aid in proper use and adjustment of the devices, resulted in a 48 percent slowing of global cognitive decline in older people with untreated hearing loss.[7]
When it comes to education, Hara says that lifelong learning is associated with better cognitive health and higher levels of cognitive activity at mid- or late-life.
“Education is modifiable because you can always incorporate learning new things into your life, like taking a new class, learning a new language, learning how to play a musical instrument, or learning a new dance,” says Hara.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being | – Modifiable risk factors for dementia – Sleep, weight, smoking, and blood pressure as risk factors for dementia |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management | – Traffic-related air pollution as a risk factor for dementia – Nitrogen oxide levels in the air as an indicator of pollution |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment | – Alcohol consumption as a risk factor for dementia – Alcohol intake frequency as an indicator of risk |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries | – Traffic-related air pollution as a risk factor for dementia – Measures to reduce exposure to air pollution |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship | – Lifelong learning as a factor associated with better cognitive health – Engagement in learning new things as an indicator of cognitive activity |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
The article addresses the issue of dementia and its risk factors, which is directly related to the goal of promoting good health and well-being.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
The article discusses the impact of traffic-related air pollution on brain health, highlighting the need for sustainable cities and communities with improved air quality.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
The article mentions alcohol consumption as a risk factor for dementia, emphasizing the importance of responsible consumption and production practices.
SDG 13: Climate Action
The article highlights the role of air pollution, caused by burning fossil fuels, in increasing the risk of dementia. This connects to the goal of climate action to reduce pollution and its adverse impacts.
SDG 4: Quality Education
The article mentions the association between education and cognitive health, emphasizing the importance of quality education for promoting brain health.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
The article addresses the modifiable risk factors for dementia, which aligns with the target of reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases like dementia.
Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
The article emphasizes the need to address traffic-related air pollution in cities to protect brain health, aligning with the target of reducing the adverse environmental impact of cities, particularly air quality.
Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
The article highlights the need for responsible alcohol consumption practices to reduce the risk of dementia, connecting to the target of achieving environmentally sound management of chemicals and reducing their adverse impacts on human health.
Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
The article emphasizes the need to reduce exposure to traffic-related air pollution, which is a climate-related hazard, aligning with the target of strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.
Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship
The article highlights the association between lifelong learning and cognitive health, connecting to the target of increasing the number of individuals with relevant skills for employment and entrepreneurship.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
– Modifiable risk factors for dementia can be used as indicators to measure progress towards Target 3.4.
– Nitrogen oxide levels in the air can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards Target 11.6.
– Alcohol intake frequency can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards Target 12.4.
– Measures to reduce exposure to air pollution can be used as indicators to measure progress towards Target 13.1.
– Engagement in learning new things can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards Target 4.4.
The article provides information on these indicators and their relevance to the identified targets.
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: everydayhealth.com
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