One of the main causes of developing demension

Scientists have confirmed that traumatic brain damage is associated with an increased risk of dementia. In addition, the maximum risk increases in patients with multiple traumatic brain injuries, they emphasize.

The study analyzed data for almost 2.8 million patients, 132,000 (4.7%) of which had at least one traumatic brain injury in 1977-2013, and 126.7 thousand ( 4,5%) was diagnosed with dementia during 1999-2013. After adjusting for socio-demographic factors and co-morbidities, including neurological and psychiatric factors, the researchers found that, compared with persons who did not have traumatic brain damage, the risk of developing dementia was 24% higher in patients who underwent similar injuries. In patients with five or more traumatic brain damage, the risk increased more than threefold. Moreover, even a single case of light traumatic brain damage increased the likelihood of developing dementia by 17%.
However, the authors of the study from the Medical School of Washington University noted earlier that the absolute risk of developing dementia under the age of 50 remained relatively low. More efforts are needed to prevent traumatic brain damage and identify strategies to reduce the risk of subsequent dementia.