A groundbreaking study has shed light on key risk factors contributing to dementia, emphasizing the significant roles of diabetes, air pollution, and alcohol consumption. Published in Nature Communications, this research scrutinizes the impact of various modifiable risk factors on brain regions particularly susceptible to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. Utilizing brain scans from nearly 40,000 British adults aged 44 to 82, the study identifies these three factors as the most detrimental to brain health.
The study’s co-author, Gwenaëlle Douaud of the University of Oxford, highlights the importance of understanding how these risk factors influence the brain’s most vulnerable regions, which are crucial for integrating sensory information. These areas, pivotal during adolescence, deteriorate with age, affecting cognitive function.
Out of 161 analyzed risk factors, including lifestyle and environmental elements, diabetes, nitrogen dioxide exposure, and alcohol consumption emerged as the most harmful, each exhibiting twice the impact compared to other leading factors such as sleep and smoking. Additionally, the research uncovered seven genetic clusters related to these brain regions, some linked to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
With over 55 million individuals globally living with dementia—a number projected to nearly triple by 2050—the findings underscore the urgency in addressing these modifiable risk factors to mitigate the escalating dementia crisis. The study not only offers insights into dementia’s etiology but also guides public health strategies aiming to curb this growing health challenge.