Triple the Dementia Risk
At the start, researchers noted that dementia is the most common neurological disease in older adults, whereas headaches, including migraines, are the most common neurological disorder across all ages. The Manitoba Study of Health and Aging examined 679 adults aged 65 and older who did not have dementia. In what’s referred to as an observational study, participants first filled out a questionnaire on their medical history, including the incidence of migraines, if any. It’s important to note here that the sample was mostly made up of women (61.9 percent) with an average age of 75. After five years, the researchers revisited the participants to determine whether they had developed dementia. The results were interesting… Of the 679 participants, 7.5 percent had developed dementia. That broke down into roughly 5.1 percent with Alzheimer’s and 1.9 percent with vascular dementia. Curiously, none of the men who reported having migraines were diagnosed with dementia. In this study, women with dementia were three times more likely to have experienced migraines than those without dementia. It’s important to note that there was no link between migraines and vascular dementia, which is caused by impaired blood flow to the brain. “We don’t yet have any way to cure Alzheimer’s disease, so prevention is key,” said Suzanne Tyas of the University of Waterloo in Canada, a lead author of the study.3 “Identifying a link to migraines provides us with a rationale to guide new strategies to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.” My comment is that this study is too small to be conclusive, but it certainly makes me concerned. Migraines are so painful I don’t suppose people need an additional reason to seek treatment, but now they’ve got one.Other Research Points in the Same Direction
This most recent study isn’t the first to find a connection between migraines and dementia risk. Maybe it has something to do with cardiovascular risk factors? Indeed, past research found that cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes, can increase your risk of dementia. Additionally, there’s some evidence that long-term migraines may change brain structure, triggering destructive effects. A 2013 study5 examined how migraines contributed to structural brain changes, including white matter abnormalities, and changes in gray and white matter. This link between migraines and Alzheimer’s is interesting and I’ll keep my eye out for larger studies. At this point, I am taking this latest finding with a grain of salt. Perhaps future research can explore whether factors such as migraine medications may affect this link. As my readers know, many meds increase dementia risk. In this study I have to wonder whether the problem was the migraines themselves or the drugs the participants were likely taking. In the meantime, I’ll continue advocating for wise lifestyle choices that keep our brains healthy as we age.Meet
The Expert:
The Expert:
Susan Clark is an award-winning, Emmy-nominated journalist and author who has written about nutrition, health, and wellness for 27 years. She has developed content for articles, reports, books, videos, and television news segments featuring some of today’s top alternative and integrative doctors. She earned a bachelor of science in broadcast journalism from Texas Christian University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two sons, and numerous pets.
