17 Modifiable Risk Factors Shared by Stroke, Dementia, and Late-Life Depression
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, April 10, 2025 -- Seventeen modifiable risk factors are shared by stroke, dementia, and late-life depression, according to a review published online April 3 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
Jasper Senff, M.D., from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to identify overlapping risk factors for stroke, dementia, and late-life depression and calculate their relative impact on a composite outcome.
Using data from 59 selected meta-analyses, the researchers identified disability-adjusted life year (DALY)-weighted risk factors for the composite outcome that included alcohol (normalized β-coefficient highest category, −34), blood pressure (130), body mass index (70), fasting plasma glucose (94), total cholesterol (22), leisure-time cognitive activity (−91), depressive symptoms (57), diet (51), hearing loss (60), kidney function (101), pain (42), physical activity (−56), purpose in life (−50), sleep (76), smoking (91), social engagement (53), and stress (55).
"Dementia, stroke, and late-life depression are connected and intertwined, so if you develop one of them, there's a substantial chance you may develop another one in the future," Senff said in a statement. "And because they share these overlapping risk factors, preventive efforts could lead to a reduction in the incidence of more than one of these diseases, which provides an opportunity to simultaneously reduce the burden of age-related brain diseases."
Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology industries.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted April 2025
Read this next
Dementia Caregivers Have Modifiable Risk Factors Increasing Their Own Risk
FRIDAY, June 20, 2025 -- Six in 10 dementia caregivers report having at least one modifiable risk factor that could increase their own chances of developing dementia, according to...
Tinnitus Linked to Impaired Cognitive Function
FRIDAY, June 20, 2025 -- Individuals with versus those without tinnitus have significantly lower scores on cognitive function tests, according to a study published online May 29...
Doctors' Preferences for Their Own End-of-Life Care? No Life-Sustaining Practices
FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 -- Many physicians would personally prefer to avoid life-sustaining practices if they had advanced cancer or Alzheimer disease, according to a study...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.