Advanced Biological Age Linked to Increased Risk for Incident Dementia
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, May 2, 2025 -- Advanced biological age (BA) may be a risk factor for incident dementia, according to a study published online April 30 in Neurology.
Yacong Bo, Ph.D., from The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in China, and colleagues used data from the U.K. Biobank to examine the relationships of BA with incident dementia and explore underlying mechanisms. BA was evaluated using the Klemera-Doubal method biological age (KDM-BA) and PhenoAge algorithms. The apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype and polygenic risk scores (PRSs) were used to assess the genetic risk for dementia.
The study included 280,918 participants. The researchers identified 4,770 cases of dementia recorded during a median follow-up of 13.58 years. Each standard deviation increase in KDM-BA and PhenoAge accelerations was associated with an increased incidence of dementia (hazard ratios, 1.14 and 1.15, respectively). The highest risk for dementia was seen for individuals with APOE ε4 and highest PhenoAge accelerations (hazard ratio, 4.20) compared with those with non-APOE ε4 and lowest PhenoAge accelerations, with a significant interaction effect. PRS did not have a significant modification effect on the association between BA accelerations and dementia, nor did APOE ε4 on the association between KDM-BA accelerations and dementia. The associations between BA accelerations and incident dementia were partially mediated by gray matter volume, cortical mean thickness, and cortical surface area, with the proportion-mediated percentage varying from 6.64 to 17.98 percent.
"Our findings suggested that advanced BA may contribute to changes in brain structures, thereby increasing susceptibility to dementia," the authors write.
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 May 2025
Read this next
Exposure to Smoke Pollution Ups Risk for Hospitalization for Respiratory Disease
FRIDAY, May 2, 2025 -- For older adults in the Western United States, exposure to high levels of smoke pollution is associated with an increase in hospitalizations for respiratory...
Estimated 7.2 Million Americans 65 Years and Older Have Alzheimer Dementia
THURSDAY, May 1, 2025 -- An estimated 7.2 million Americans aged 65 years and older are living with Alzheimer dementia, and almost all adults feel it is important to diagnose the...
Risk Factors for Alzheimer Disease Linked to Cognitive Function Before Midlife
THURSDAY, May 1, 2025 -- Risk factors for Alzheimer disease are associated with cognitive function starting in the mid-20s, according to a study published in the May issue of The...
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.