Dementia affects 1 in 7 adults over 70 in the U.S., with Alzheimer's disease being the most common form of dementia. We're living longer in the U.S., but we have a greater risk of dementia with our good fortune, reports James Leverenz, MD, director of Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Cleveland Clinic
Let's take a look at four causes of dementia.
1. Sedentary lifestyle
Regular exercise lowers the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Even if family history increases your risk of Alzheimer's, you can delay its onset by being cognitively and physically active. —Andrew E. Budson, MD, Harvard Medical School
2. Hearing loss
Researchers estimate that untreated hearing loss accounts for 8% of dementia cases, 800,000 cases of the 10 million new diagnoses of dementia diagnosed each year.
Hearing loss is the largest modifiable risk factor for developing dementia, exceeding that of smoking, high blood pressure, lack of exercise and social isolation. —Jane Brody from The New York Times, December 30, 2019
Frank R. Lin, MD. of Johns Hopkins Medical School, offers several hypotheses for the link between dementia and hearing loss.
- Hearing loss can make the brain work harder, forcing it to strain to hear at the expense of other brain systems.
- Hearing loss also causes the aging brain to shrink more quickly.
- A third possibility: Hearing loss isolates people from social engagement and the intellectual stimulation it provides.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins discovered the brains of people with hearing loss atrophied faster than those with normal hearing (confirmed by MRI evidence). The study's lead, Dr. Frank Lin, advises treating hearing loss before structural changes to the brain occur.
3. Genetics
A family history of Alzheimer's and other dementias increase your risk. If you have a family history, talk to your physician about tests that identify early stages of cognitive decline. The same tests can also gauge the effectiveness of any lifestyle changes you adopt.
4. Age
As alluded to earlier, getting older means an increased risk of dementia. For example, the chance of getting Alzheimer's doubles every five years once you're over 65.
Do you know the early signs of Alzheimer's disease? Knowing them provides you with a personal early-warning system. If you spot some relevant changes, discuss your concerns with your physician. The earlier your physician diagnoses dementia, the more effectively you can slow its progression.
Delaying is damaging
Don’t put off getting your hearing screened. Identify and treat hearing loss as soon as possible 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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