Hidden brain condition may quadruple dementia risk in older adults, study suggests

A little-known encephalon humor vas upset could quadruple the hazard of dementia successful older adults, according to a preliminary survey from the American Heart Association.

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is simply a information successful which macromolecule builds up successful the encephalon and weakens humor vessels. 

As radical age, immoderate of these proteins tin cod successful the brain’s humor vessels with fewer to nary symptoms, according to the association. 

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When the buildup begins to impact encephalon function, doctors whitethorn diagnose the condition, typically done MRI oregon PET scans. In terrible cases, CAA tin effect successful a stroke.

Approximately 23% to 29% of radical supra the property of 50 person mean to terrible CAA, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is linked to a fourfold summation successful the hazard of dementia wrong 5 years. (iStock)

In the caller study, researchers analyzed wellness information for astir 2 cardinal adults with and without CAA, tracking caller dementia diagnoses from 2016 to 2022. All participants were astatine slightest 65 years aged and covered by Medicare.

The adults were grouped into 4 aesculapian categories: nary CAA oregon stroke, CAA only, changeable only, oregon some CAA and stroke.

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About 42% of radical with CAA were diagnosed with dementia wrong 5 years, compared to lone 10% of those without it — astir a fourfold difference. 

The hazard remained elevated adjacent if the idiosyncratic had nary past of stroke.

The hazard of dementia remains precocious for CAA patients adjacent if they person ne'er suffered a stroke, suggesting that the macromolecule buildup damages encephalon function. (iStock)

"What stood retired was that the hazard of processing dementia among those with CAA without changeable was akin to those with CAA with stroke, and some conditions had a higher summation successful the incidence of dementia erstwhile compared to participants with changeable alone," survey writer Samuel S. Bruce, an adjunct prof of neurology astatine Weill Cornell Medicine successful New York City, said successful a property release.

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"These results item the request to proactively surface for cognitive changes aft a diagnosis of CAA and code hazard factors to forestall further cognitive decline," helium added.

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The aboriginal probe volition beryllium presented arsenic a preliminary survey astatine the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference this week successful New Orleans, and it whitethorn acquisition further adjacent reappraisal earlier last publication.

Proactive cognitive screening is recommended by researchers for anyone diagnosed with CAA to code hazard factors and dilatory imaginable decline. (iStock)

While the survey recovered a beardown link, it has limitations. For example, it does not afloat explicate however these macromolecule deposits harm encephalon relation successful ways different than causing a stroke.

Additionally, researchers utilized administrative diagnosis codes from Medicare security claims, which Bruce said are "imperfect" alternatives for objective diagnoses.

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"These codes are an imperfect proxy for objective diagnoses, and misclassifications tin occur," helium said successful the release.

To amended accuracy, researchers relied lone connected diagnosis codes that had been shown to beryllium reliable successful past studies. However, they did not person entree to encephalon imaging, which could person provided much precise confirmation of CAA and changeable diagnoses.

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People whitethorn beryllium screened for the information if they are older and person caller cognitive symptoms that whitethorn bespeak small-vessel disease, oregon if they person had a encephalon bleed oregon changeable that suggests CAA, according to aesculapian sources.