As of: March 9, 2024, 9:52 a.m
By: Natalie Hull-Deichsel
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The risk of developing dementia can be increased by certain living conditions.
Depression and obesity also promote later illness.
Over 1.8 million people in Germany suffer from the previously incurable Alzheimer's disease, which causes the nerve cells in the brains of those affected to steadily deteriorate.
When the neurons die, too little of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is produced, which leads to disruptions in information processing in the brain and thus memory loss.
Which living conditions and illnesses can lead to Alzheimer's dementia
Doctors can prove that people with depression have an increased risk of dementia and dementia patients are more susceptible to depressive phases.
© Monkey Business/Imago
Alzheimer's disease, which affects around 60 to 80 percent of those affected, is the most common and best-known form of dementia.
Similar to Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's dementia and frontotemporal dementia, protein deposits or disorders in the brain play a crucial role in Alzheimer's disease, leading to neurological deficits and associated symptoms.
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The risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's depends on various factors, including age, lifestyle habits and underlying chronic diseases.
An online dementia test with pictures, numbers and shapes can reveal the first signs.
Risk factors for Alzheimer's dementia are:
Obesity in middle age can increase the risk of later dementia, as a study by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm shows.
People with a BMI of 25 to 30 have a 71 percent increased risk, while people with a BMI of over 30 are four times more at risk.
Regular physical activity and exercise can slow the progression of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Movement releases the messenger substance irisin and transports it to the brain.
This improves synaptic plasticity, according to a study published in the journal
Nature Medicine
by Mychael V Lourenco et al.
shows.
High alcohol consumption significantly increases the risk of early-onset dementia, according to a French study of 32 million people, according to the
Medical Journal
.
According to
pulmonologists online
, smoking damages the metabolism of brain cells and significantly increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease, especially in people who smoke more than half a pack of cigarettes per day.
People with diabetes have an increased risk of dementia, although the exact connection and preventive diabetes therapies for cognitive deficits are still unclear, as the
Ärzteblatt
reports.
Untreated high blood pressure can lead to vascular changes and increase the risk of vascular dementia, as a study by the Leipzig Max Planck Institute shows.
According to long-term studies, the risk of dementia increases significantly even after mild traumatic brain injuries, as scientists at the University of Washington have found.
Depression and dementia are common psychiatric illnesses in old age that influence each other: people with depression have an increased risk of dementia and dementia patients are more susceptible to depressive phases, accompanied by sleep disorders and decreasing appetite.
Social isolation and loneliness increase the risk of dementia by around 26 percent, as a lack of social interaction can lead to a breakdown of the gray matter in the brain, as a long-term study by Fudan University in China shows.
Untreated hearing loss increases the risk of dementia because hearing loss can lead to brain damage.
Early treatment with hearing aids can reduce the risk of dementia by an average of 8 percent.
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This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Our editorial team is not allowed to answer individual questions about medical conditions.