Scientists have identified six specific symptoms that could increase the likelihood of developing dementia by 27 percent.
Dementia impacts over six million people in the United States annually, as reported by the National Institutes of Health, affecting countless others indirectly.
Understanding ways to mitigate the risk of developing dementia could potentially spare individuals and their families from enduring the challenges associated with the condition.
The connection between depression and dementia has been a topic of investigation for some time, with multiple studies exploring factors that might elevate the risk of this progressive disorder.
Recent research has pinpointed six depressive indicators that could forecast whether someone is likely to develop dementia within the next 20 years.
Published in the Lancet Psychiatry on Monday, December 15, the study uncovers startling insights into dementia’s root causes.
Researchers from University College London in the UK scrutinized data from 5,811 middle-aged participants, predominantly consisting of white males.
Participants were surveyed about their depressive symptoms when they were aged between 45 and 69.
At the study’s outset, none of the participants had been diagnosed with dementia.
Over a 25-year period, findings revealed that individuals considered depressed during midlife faced a 27 percent greater chance of developing dementia.
Ultimately, the increased risk was linked to six depressive symptoms observed before age 60.
The researchers identified symptoms such as loss of confidence, difficulty in addressing problems, lack of warmth and affection for others, dissatisfaction with task performance, concentration challenges, and nervousness.
Although all symptoms were linked to increased risk, self-confidence issues and difficulty managing problems were notably associated with a 50 percent rise in dementia risk.
“Our findings show that dementia risk is linked to a handful of depressive symptoms rather than depression as a whole. This symptom-level approach gives us a much clearer picture of who may be more vulnerable decades before dementia develops,” explained lead author Philipp Frank.
Treating these six symptoms during midlife could potentially decrease the number of individuals who eventually develop dementia, according to the researchers.
The report suggests that depressive symptoms can weaken cognitive resilience.
Therefore, addressing depression may eliminate this risk factor by the time individuals reach their 60s and older.
“Everyday symptoms that many people experience in midlife appear to carry important information about long-term brain health. Paying attention to these patterns could open new opportunities for early prevention,” added Frank.
Study co-author Gill Livingston, chair of the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, commented: “There is some limited evidence that treating depression in midlife might reduce later dementia risk, but further research is needed to better understand how best to reduce dementia risk.”
Currently, there is no cure for dementia, with various factors like lack of mental engagement, specific medications, genetics, lifestyle choices, and certain diseases being linked to its development, according to the Mayo Clinic.
However, maintaining healthy mental and physical practices may lower the risk over time.