A look at the various modifiable factors that contribute to dementia risk. In midlife, the commission found that one of the most powerful — and fixable — drivers of dementia risk is hearing loss. In fact, as much as 9% of lifetime risk for dementia lies with hearing loss during midlife. The impact of addressing this would dwarf the benefits that could come from other modifiable midlife risk factors, such as managing high blood pressure (which contributes 2% of lifetime risk) or reducing obesity (1% of lifetime risk). Recent news about dementia — and about the most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease — has focused heavily on a string of dashed hopes as pharmaceutical researchers shoot for a cure.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 20, 2017 14:37 UTC