Dementia risk linked to school performance, job complexity and loneliness

A recent conference has highlighted three risk factors in the development of dementia drawing on studies gathered from research centres around the world.

Doing well at school and job complexity are associated with a lower risk of dementia, according to two independent Swedish studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in the United States.

The first study followed 7,574 people aged 65 and over at Uppsala in Sweden for more than 20 years and found that 950 had developed dementia. This was 21 per cent higher in individuals with school grades in the bottom fifth of the population, yet 23 per cent lower among those with complex occupations involving data and numbers.

In the second study, 440 people aged 75 and over were followed for nine years. The results suggested that individuals in the bottom fifth of school grades had a 50 per cent increase of developing dementia. However, participants who reported having complex jobs had a 60 per cent lower risk, but this was only found to be true in women.

Dr Walton, research manager at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Dementia is caused by diseases that damage the brain, but the extent of damage relates to the severity of symptoms which can vary greatly between individuals. These studies add to a growing body of evidence which shows that the number of years of education we receive, and the complexity of our jobs, may help our brains by building up a ‘cognitive reserve’ to help us withstand this damage.

“While more research is needed to determine why this happens, we believe that additional years in education or more challenging occupations can increase the number of connections between brain cells. The more existing connections a person has, the more they could potentially afford to lose before the function of their brain is compromised by dementia.

“However, people who haven't had a long education should not be unduly worried by this study. Research shows there are plenty of positive steps individuals can do to keep the brain healthy, including regular exercise, stopping smoking, eating a balanced diet and keeping high blood pressure under control.”

A further study presented at the conference also suggested that loneliness could be associated with an increased rate of cognitive decline in older people.

This US study conducted assessments every two years on more than 8,300 adults aged 65 and older from 1998 to 2010. Researchers reported that the loneliest people in the study experienced accelerated cognitive decline; 20 per cent faster than those who were not lonely, regardless of demographic factors and health conditions including depression.

Dr Walton said: “Our research has previously shown that people with dementia are more likely to experience loneliness, but it is not clear whether loneliness is a risk factor for dementia or a consequence of having the condition.

“This study has found that people who report being lonely have a faster rate of cognitive decline than those who do not. This hints that loneliness could be a risk factor for dementia, but more research is needed to directly test that theory. To fend off loneliness and social isolation, it is crucial that we all play a part in supporting the most vulnerable people in our society to feel part of the community.”