People with no dementia risk factors, such as smoking, diabetes, or hearing loss, have similar brain health as people who are 10 to 20 years younger.
The study by scientists at Baycrest, a health-sciences center affiliated with the University of Toronto, is one of the first to look at lifestyle risk factors for dementia across the entire lifespan.
The researchers found that a single dementia risk factor could reduce cognition by the equivalent of up to three years of aging.
Our results suggest lifestyle factors may be more important than age in determining someone's level of cognitive functioning. This is great news since there's a lot you can do to modify these factors, such as managing diabetes, addressing hearing loss, and getting the support you need to quit smoking," says Dr. Annalise LaPlume, Postdoctoral Fellow at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute (RRI) and the study's lead author.
Risk factors impact people from 18 to 80
The study is unique because it included data for people as young as 18. Results show that risk factors hurt cognitive performance across all ages. Similar studies usually look at mid and older adulthood.
This is crucial as it means risk factors can and should be addressed as early as possible, says Dr. Nicole Anderson, Senior Scientist at the RRI, Associate Scientific Director of Baycrest's Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness, and senior author of this study.
The study, published July 13, 2022, in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment, and Disease Monitoring, a journal of the Alzheimer's Association, included data from 22,117 people aged 18 to 89 who completed the Cogniciti Brain Health Assessment, developed by Baycrest.
Take the test
Participants took the test in their homes at the Cogniciti website (https://cogniciti.com/). The test takes about 20 minutes to complete and consists of a background questionnaire and four cognitive tasks.
The researchers looked at participants' performance on memory and attention tests and how their performance was influenced by eight modifiable risk factors for dementia:
- Low education (less than a high school diploma)
- Hearing loss
- Traumatic brain injury
- Alcohol or substance abuse
- Hypertension
- Smoking (currently or in the past four years)
- Diabetes and depression
One risk factor equals three years of aging
Each risk factor decreased cognitive performance by as much as three years of aging. Each additional risk factor added another three years of decline.
For example, having three risk factors could lead to a decrease in cognitive performance equivalent to as much as nine years of aging. The effects of the risk factors increased with age, as did the number of risk factors people had.
All in all, our research shows that you have the power to decrease your risk of cognitive decline and dementia, says Dr. LaPlume. Start addressing any risk factors you have now, whether 18 or 90, and you'll support your brain health to help yourself age fearlessly.
Hearing loss is a modifiable risk factor
Don't put off getting your hearing screened. Find out if you have hearing loss, and if you do, we have the treatment options you need to keep your brain healthy. Our free,
15-minute hearing screenings are an easy way to fend off the health risks of hearing loss.
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