Researchers at Lund University have conducted a study examining the connection between modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors and brain changes associated with the two most common forms of dementia: Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. The research suggests that approximately half of dementia cases may be attributable to risk factors that individuals can potentially modify through lifestyle changes or medical intervention.
The four-year study tracked nearly 500 participants with an average age of 65 who showed no initial signs of cognitive impairment. During the observation period, researchers measured changes in the brain’s white matter, levels of amyloid-beta and tau proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and how both modifiable and non-modifiable factors—including age, gender, and genetics—influenced these changes over time.
The findings revealed that modifiable cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors, including smoking, high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and existing cardiovascular disease, were significantly associated with damage to blood vessel function in the brain and accelerated deterioration of white matter. These changes can ultimately progress to vascular dementia. The research also identified preliminary associations between diabetes and increased accumulation of amyloid-beta protein, as well as between lower body mass index and faster tau accumulation, though researchers noted these findings require further validation.
Because many individuals with dementia experience multiple disease processes simultaneously—combining both vascular damage and Alzheimer’s-related changes—researchers emphasize that addressing modifiable risk factors through lifestyle modifications may help delay symptom onset and reduce cumulative brain damage. Improving vascular and metabolic health could potentially benefit individuals at risk for various dementia types, according to the study’s conclusions.
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