A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that individuals with chronic anxiety are up to three times more likely to develop dementia compared to those without anxiety. Specifically, people aged 60-70 with persistent anxiety have a higher risk of experiencing cognitive decline that impairs memory and decision-making, affecting their daily activities.
Researchers, including a team from the University of Newcastle in the UK, found that individuals who had successfully addressed their anxiety did not face an increased risk of dementia compared to those who had never experienced anxiety. This led the researchers to propose that effectively managing anxiety might reduce the likelihood of developing dementia.
"The findings suggest that anxiety may be a new risk factor to target in the prevention of dementia and also indicate that treating anxiety may reduce this risk," Kay Khaing from the University of Newcastle and corresponding author of the study said.
Previous research on the connection between anxiety and dementia has mainly assessed anxiety levels at the beginning of the study. However, the authors note that there has been limited investigation into how ongoing anxiety and the age at which anxiety begins might influence the risk of developing dementia.
In the study, researchers examined over 2,000 people with an average age of 76, including nearly 450 (21 per cent) who initially had anxiety. The group was monitored for more than a decade. After five years, participants were categorised as having 'chronic anxiety' if their anxiety continued, or 'new onset anxiety' if they developed it during the follow-up period.
The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), a 10-item questionnaire used to quickly assess distress levels, was employed to measure anxiety. The study found that individuals with chronic anxiety had a 2.8 times higher risk of developing dementia, while those who developed anxiety during the study had a 3.2 times higher risk. On average, it took 10 years from the start of the study to diagnose dementia.
"Chronic and new anxiety was associated with increased risk of all-cause dementia, and this association was significant in those 70 years and younger," the authors wrote. They also found that anxiety resolved at follow-up lowered dementia risk levels down to those in people who never had anxiety.
"These results suggest that timely management of anxiety may be a viable strategy in reducing the risk of dementia," the authors wrote.
Anxiety may increase the risk of dementia through several mechanisms, including inflammation and cell death. Additionally, individuals with high anxiety are more likely to adopt unhealthy behaviors, such as physical inactivity and smoking, which further contributes to the risk.
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