The researchers write that previous studies have suggested that exposure to risk ctors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, andsmokingduring middle age seems associated with an increased risk of dementia.
Participants with diabetes in middle age lost brain volume at a ster pace than people without the disease.
Brain Shrinkage Linked to Smoking, Obesity, Diabetes obesity linked to diabetes in children,Other health problems linked to brain shrinkage and mental decline includehigh blood pressureanddiabetes.
Obese people at middle age were more likely to be in the top 25% of those with the ster rate of decline in planning and decision- skills. And participants with a high waist-to-hip ratio were more likely to be in the top 25% of those with ster decrease in their brain volume.
And they say that modifying the risk ctors during middle age may reduce the odds of people developing dementia as they get older.
And smokers lost brain volume overall at a ster rate than nonsmokers. The smokers also were more likely to have a rapid increase in brain white matter changes, according to the researchers.
Debette, S.Neurology,Aug. 2, 2011; vol 77: pp 461-468.
The study is published in the Aug. 2, issue ofNeurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Most authors disclosed financial support from research orgobesity linked to diabetes in childrenanizations or publications. DeCarli, who is editor-in-chief ofAlzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders, also receives financial support from Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Avanir Pharmaceuticals, and Merck Serono.
Our findings provide evidence that identifying these risk ctors early in people of middle age could be useful in screening people for at-riskdementiaand encouraging people to make changes to their lifestyle before its too late, Charles DeCarli, MD, of the University of California-Davis in Sacramento, says in a news release.
SOURCES:
Study participants with high blood pressure developed a condition in the brain known as white matter change, or small areas of blood vessel damage, ster than people with normal blood pressure readings. As they aged, they also scored lower on tests of planning and decision- than participants with normal blood pressure.
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Thus, studying the impact of these risk ctors could help scientists better understand the mechanisms that increase the risk of dementia in some people.
News release, American Academy of Neurology.
In addition, each underwentMRIbrain scans over the period of a decade, with the first of such tests starting about seven years after the initial examinations to detect risk ctors.
Aug. 1, 2011 -- People who smoke, areoverweight, and have other health problems in middle age may be at increased risk of developing signs ofbrainshrinkage and diminishBrain Shrinkage Linked to Smoking, Obesity, Diabetes obesity linked to diabetes in childrened planning and organization skills as they age, new research indicates.
The study involved 1,352 people who did not have dementia and whose average age was 54. They took standard tests to determine if they were overweight, had high blood pressure, diabetes, and unhealthycholesterol levels.
