Study: Vascular Disease Risk Factors Could Lead to Cognitive Decline

A new study has found that the risk factors that frequently lead to vascular disease - including diabetes, smoking, being overweight and having high blood pressure - can lead to cognitive decline later on in life.

Specific details included:

• People who had diabetes in mid-life lost brain volume faster in the hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for forming, storing and processing memories)
• Subjects who smoked in mid-life lost overall brain volume faster than non-smokers
• Obese participants and those who had high blood pressure were more likely to perform poorly on tests involving executive functioning or planning

The study's authors hope that their findings will be useful in screening people for at-risk dementia and encouraging individuals with risk factors to make modifications to their lifestyles.

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