Jan 2, 2024 at 8:59 am
Mental health appears to be a good predictor of an increased risk of dementia at a relatively young age. Dutch and British scientists have discovered this. Dementia occurs at a young age when people develop the disease before the age of 65.
Scientists from Maastricht University (UM) and the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom identified fifteen factors to identify that pose an increased risk of dementia at a young age. This includes not only known factors, such as smoking or drinking alcohol, but also depression and social isolation.
The overview of risk factors can correct people’s perception that the cause of dementia at a relatively young age is mainly genetic, the scientists said in a press release on Tuesday.
The overview can also be useful to recognize the disease in time. This way, better help and support can be provided. “The impact of dementia at a young age is very great, because these people usually still have a job, children and a busy life,” says UM researcher Stevie Hendriks.
In the Netherlands, approximately 15,000 people suffer from dementia before the age of 65. About a thousand to 1,500 cases are added every year.
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2024-01-02 07:59:22
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