Up to 40 per
cent of a person’s dementia risk can be attributed to modifiable risk factors,
with evidence that the effects of dementia begin 10 to 20 years before clinical
symptoms emerge.
“Mild cognitive
impairment (MCI) is considered to be an ‘at-risk’ stage for dementia, with the
decline in cognitive function beyond what is expected for normal aging. More
than 50 per cent of MCI patients progress to dementia within five years.
“It’s
very exciting to know that if we can classify someone as high risk by checking
their blood work for high cholesterol in their 50s, then we can look at their
diet as a way of managing and even reducing their risk of dementia.
“Better
still, it’s a low-cost intervention. It’s checked with a blood test so it’s
easy to detect,” Dr
Misra said.
Dementia is
a neurodegenerative disease that causes the gradual impairment of brain
function, which could impact a person’s memory, speech, cognition (thought),
personality, behaviour and mobility.
The
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates there were between
401,300 and 487,500 Australians living with dementia in 2022. That equates
to 15 Australians in every 1,000, and increases to 84 people with dementia per
1,000 for Australians aged 65 and over.
With an
ageing and growing population, that figure is projected to more than double by
2058 to 849,300 people.
“There is
substantial interest in identifying early to midlife interventions that may
prevent lifetime occurrence of dementia,” he said.
Dr Misra
said the next step is to find out how to reduce and treat the cholesterol
(lipids) and compare the results with a drop in cognitive decline.
Header image: Dr Ashish Misra
