Men at Risk for Heart Disease May Develop Dementia Up to a Decade Earlier Than Women, Study Finds
A new study has found that men who are at risk for heart disease may develop dementia up to a decade earlier than similarly at-risk women. The study, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, analyzed data on over 34,000 men and women ages 45 to 82 and found that cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, are associated with lower brain gray matter volume and poorer cognitive function, particularly in men.
The study’s findings suggest that modifying cardiovascular risk may prevent Alzheimer’s disease, and that this should be done a decade earlier in men than in women, regardless of whether they carry risk genes for Alzheimer’s. The study’s lead author, Dr. Paul Edison, a professor of neuroscience at Imperial College London, notes that the influence of cardiovascular disease on dementia in men a decade before the age of 65 has not been known before, and is a “novel finding with significant health implications.”
The study also found that men are more likely to have higher levels of abdominal and visceral fat, which can affect oxygen delivery to the brain, and that this is associated with lower brain gray matter volume and poorer cognitive function. Men are also more likely to have higher levels of LDL cholesterol and lower levels of HDL cholesterol, which can increase the risk of developing heart disease.
The study’s findings are consistent with existing literature that shows that higher levels of cardiovascular risk may be associated with negative neurocognitive outcomes, according to Dr. Jingkai Wei, an epidemiologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
The study suggests that it is essential to start early and maintain a healthy lifestyle that reduces vascular risk factors throughout middle age, including controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugars, eating a healthy diet, staying physically active, and quitting or avoiding heavy drinking and tobacco. As Dr. Wei notes, “starting all these proactive preventive actions early and not waiting until late life” is key.
In an email, Dr. Edison noted, “Modify your diet and lifestyle to reduce the risk of developing heart problems and obesity; this will reduce the likelihood of developing dementia.”