The best way to stop Alzheimer’s is not getting it in the first place. And now, the latest brain science has revealed a new way to do just that.
The 3rd Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention has revealed two new risk factors to add to a growing list of reasons why people succumb to seemingly irreversible memory loss. And one of them comes as a big surprise…
Key Takeaways
- The 3rd Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention added two new risk factors to the previous twelve identified factors, potentially lowering dementia risk by a further 5%.
- They uncovered untreated vision loss increases dementia risk by 38-47%, while each 1mmol/L increase in LDL cholesterol during midlife raises the risk by 8%.
- The Commission emphasizes that it's never too early or too late to act against dementia risk factors.
Lower Your Risk of Dementia 45%
When the first Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention convened in 2017, the group set out to uncover the reasons behind the disease. As they began compiling their list, a picture emerged of a set of lifestyle and physical factors that could exponentially raise your risk of dementia. They met again in 2020, and now, for the third time in 2024. And this time, they’ve added two new risk factors to the previous twelve.
Bad news? Not necessarily. The Commission estimates that by acting on all fourteen risk factors, you can lower our risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia by a remarkable 45%!
The two additional factors? The Commission added untreated sight loss and high LDL cholesterol.
Untreated Sight Loss
Since their last report, the experts write that “considerable new evidence has emerged” regarding untreated vision loss. A meta-analysis of 14 trials containing over 6 million older adults who were cognitively healthy when the studies began found vision loss increased the relative risk of dementia by 47%.
An extensive analysis of insurance data covering 6 million people found dementia risk increased with the severity of visual loss. In a second meta-analysis of 30 studies, the risk increased by 38%. Interestingly, this applied to cataracts and diabetic retinopathy but not to glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration, for which there was no increase in risk.
Of these conditions, cataracts are easily resolved with surgery, so it should make a difference in the risk of memory loss, and it does. A study of over 3,000 seniors over two decades found this procedure markedly reduced dementia risk compared to those who didn’t have cataract extraction.
As to why visual loss makes a difference, the experts suggested it could be related to underlying illnesses such as diabetes or shared degenerative processes in both the retina and the brain.
“What this tells us,” says Professor Jonathan Schott, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research U.K., “is that it’s crucial to get your vision checked and to correct it by getting the right prescription for your glasses or to have your cataracts fixed if you need to. It’s critical to make sure the input to your brain is as good as it can be, as that will keep your brain healthy.”
Professor Gill Livingston from University College London, and the lead author of the group, added that vision loss can also "restrict people's lives, making them go out less, [be] more isolated and have fewer new experiences."
The next new risk factor, high LDL or “bad” cholesterol is also common and, in most cases, not hard to manage.
High “Bad” LDL Cholesterol – Especially Dangerous In Mid-Life
A meta-analysis of three studies involving over a million middle-aged people found that each 1mmol/L increase in LDL cholesterol increased the risk of dementia by 8%.
A study involving 1.2 million participants also found that high LDL increased the risk, as did another study involving almost 2 million people, but the risk was more substantial in those younger than 65.
This was borne out in another meta-analysis of 21,000 people with an average age of 76 when the studies began. It found no link between dementia risk and total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol. In other words, the most important years for you to maintain a healthy cholesterol balance is your middle-aged years. Once you reach 76, the research shows, at least when it comes to memory loss, that your cholesterol levels will make no difference.
The Lancet Commission scientists concluded that, overall, high-quality evidence exists that high LDL cholesterol in midlife is a risk factor for dementia. They recommended that it should be detected and treated from around age 40.
Fortunately, most people can balance cholesterol with simple lifestyle changes, including a diet rich in vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Let’s not forget exercise and regular sleep.
The Fourteen Risk Factors To Act On
The latest report, produced by 27 world-leading dementia experts, identified 14 risk factors throughout life and the risk reduction percentage if the factor could be eliminated.
- Less education- 5%
- Hearing loss- 7%
- High LDL cholesterol- 7%
- Depression -3%
- Traumatic brain injury-3%
- Physical inactivity- 2%
- Diabetes -2%
- Smoking -2%
- High blood pressure -2%
- Obesity -1%
- Excessive alcohol- 1%
- Social isolation -5%
- Air pollution -3%
- Vision loss -2%
By the way, the two new factors account for 9% of the dementia risk.
It’s Never Too Late
Summing up, prof Livingston was very hopeful. "Twelve years ago, you would have said there's nothing you can do about dementia - but that's really not the case.
“Our new report reveals there is much more that can and should be done to reduce the risk of dementia. It’s never too early or too late to take action, with opportunities to make an impact at any stage of life.
“What you do will not only decrease the chance of dementia, it will increase the quality of your life now and may increase the quantity of your life and increase the quantity of your healthy life.”
