Age-related brain diseases such as stroke, dementia and depression in late life are a debilitating part of growing parent, but people can lower their risk of these diseases due to behavioral and lifestyle changes. In a new extensive systematic review, Massaal-General Brigham researchers identified 17 Changable risk factors that are shared by stroke, dementia and depression in late life. Changing one of them can reduce your risk of all three conditions. The findings, which provide evidence to inform new tools, such as the Brain Care Score, be published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
“Our study identified 17 changeable risk factors that are shared between strokes, dementia and/or depression in late life, and emphasizes that there are many different steps that individuals can take to reduce their risks for these age -related brain diseases,” said Senior author Sanjula Singh at the Massare), Principal CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CIN CAR (Oxon), CIN CIN CIN CAR (Oxon), or PHIN CIN CAR (Oxon), or PHIN CAR (Oxon), or PHIN CIN CAR (Oxon), or MSC. Founding Cound. system.
The researchers systematically searched the scientific literature for previously published meta-analyzes of risk factors associated with stroke, dementia and depression in late life. They then combined this data to identify modifiable risk factors (ie that can be changed by behavioral change) shared between at least two of the three diseases. They also estimate the relative impact of every risk factor on the quality of life of life and early death.
All in all, the researchers identified 17 risk factors that are shared by at least two of the diseases, including blood pressure, kidney disease, sober plasma lucose, total cholesterol, alcohol consumption, diet, hearing loss, pain, physical activity, goal in life, sleep, social engagement and stress. High blood pressure and serious kidney disease had the greatest impact on the incidence and suffering from stroke, dementia and depression in late life. Physical activity and involvement in leisure activities with a cognitive aspect (eg puzzles), on the other hand, were associated with a lower risk of illness, although the researchers suspect that these associates can be symptomatic instead of causal, because individuals with brain disorders may be less able to enter into physical and cognitive free -tettening activities.
“Dementia, stroke and late-life depression are connected and intertwined, so if you develop one of them, there is a substantial chance that you can develop another in the future,” said first author Jasper Senff, MD, post-doctoral fellow at the Singh Lab at the Brain Care Labs at MGH. “And because they share these overlapping risk factors, preventive efforts can lead to a reduction in the incidence of more than one of these diseases, which offers the possibility of reducing the burden of age -related brain diseases at the same time.”
Massa -General Brigham researchers developed and validated the brain care score to measure efforts to protect brain health and to offer guidelines on how to improve it. The researchers have updated the brain care score to display the latest scientific updates. They emphasize the need for more studies to adjust the adaptation of the depression of late life and ask for a randomized controlled study to test an intervention using the Brain Care Score.
Healthcare is becoming increasingly complex. But these findings remind us that preventing disease can be very easy. Why? Because many of the most common diseases share the same risk factors. “
Jonathan Rosand MD MSC, founder of the Global Brain Care Coalition and the JP Kistler Endowed Chair in Neurology at MGH