Researchers from the University of Exeter and Maastricht University have identified a wide range of risk factors for young-onset dementia, some of which could be linked to health and lifestyle factors.
The large-scale study identified 15 risk factors for the condition that are similar to those for late-onset dementia.
Dementia is a neurological condition that affects a person’s ability to remember, think or make decisions.
Globally, young-onset dementia is responsible for around 370,000 new cases every year. Symptoms can often be different from those experienced by patients over the age of 65, including depression, stress or anxiety, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid disorders, autoimmune conditions and infections.
Published in JAMA Neurology, researchers followed over 350,000 participants under the age of 65 across the UK from the UK Biobank study and evaluated a wide range of risk factors, including genetic predispositions, lifestyle and environmental influences.
Dr Stevie Hendriks, researcher at Maastricht University, said: “Young-onset dementia has a very serious impact because the people affected usually still have a job, children and a busy life.
“The cause is often assumed to be genetic, but for many people, we don’t actually know exactly what the cause is.”
The study, Risk Factors for Young-Onset Dementia in the UK Biobank: A Prospective Population-Based Study, revealed factors including lower formal education, lower socioeconomic status, genetic variation, lifestyle factors such as alcohol use disorder and social isolation significantly elevated the risk of young-onset dementia.
Additionally, researchers also found that health issues including vitamin D deficiency, depression, stroke, hearing impairment and heart disease also contribute to that risk.
These factors include what are otherwise known as ‘modifiable factors’ which can offer an opportunity to reduce the risk of people developing young-onset dementia.
Dr Janice Ranson, senior research fellow at the University of Exeter, explained: “Our research breaks new ground in identifying that the risk of young-onset dementia can be reduced. We think this could herald a new era in interventions to reduce new cases of this condition.”
The study was supported by Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer Nederland, the Medical Research Council, the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the National Institute on Aging, Alzheimer Netherlands and others.