Do You Have These 3 New Risk Factors for Dementia?

If you want to preserve your memory and avoid Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, you need to avoid the common risk factors associated with cognitive dysfunction. Health experts have identified 3 new modifiable risk factors for dementia, according to the 2020 report of the Lancet Commission. These new factors that contribute to increased risk of memory loss and cognitive dysfunction join 9 other risk factors previously identified by the Lancet Commission.

The 9 previously identified risk factors are:

• Depression
• Less education
• Hypertension
• Hearing impairment
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Physical inactivity
• Diabetes
• Low social contact

The 3 new modifiable risk factors are:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Air pollution

According to the commission, these 12 risk factors account for approximately 40% of dementias worldwide. The expert panel suggests that preventing or treating these risk factors could potentially delay or avoid dementias, including the most common form, Alzheimer’s disease.

WHAT BRAIN IMAGING REVEALS ABOUT THE NEW RISK FACTORS FOR MEMORY LOSS

At Amen Clinics, which has built the world’s largest database of functional brain scans (over 160,000 and growing), brain SPECT imaging shows how these new risk factors impact memory and cognitive function.

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI): At Amen Clinics, which has scanned tens of thousands of patients in over 30 years of clinical practice, SPECT imaging reveals that approximately 40% of those patients have an undetected brain injury. With brain imaging, it has become clear that TBIs are a major cause of psychiatric and cognitive problems, but few people know it because traditional psychiatrists never look at the brain. Preventing further head injuries and taking steps to heal the brain can reduce your risk.
• Excessive alcohol consumption: The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics has identified 5 scary ways alcohol damages the brain, including shrinking brain volume and causing atrophy in the brain’s memory centers. These issues are known to contribute to future memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Air pollution: Environmental toxins, such as air pollution, can harm the brain and contribute to psychiatric or cognitive issues. On SPECT scans, “toxic brains” have a scalloped appearance with overall decreased blood flow.

Although the Lancet Commission only recently recognized TBIs, heavy alcohol use, and air pollution as contributing factors for dementia, Amen Clinics had already linked these risks to memory problems years earlier. In fact, Amen Clinics has identified the 11 major risk factors that steal your mind and increase the likelihood of memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease. The mnemonic (memory device) BRIGHT MINDS makes it easy to remember them.

THE 11 BRIGHT MINDS RISK FACTORS

B is for blood flow: Problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and lack of exercise reduce blood flow to the brain. On SPECT, low blood flow is the # predictor of Alzheimer’s disease.

R is for retirement and aging: When you stop learning, your brain starts dying. Less education growing up and no new learning in your adult life are bad for your brain.

I is for inflammation: Chronic inflammation is like an internal fire that destroys your mind.

G is for genetics: A family history of dementia increases your risk, but it is not a death sentence. Think of it as a wake-up call to get serious about your brain health.

H is for head trauma: As you saw above, head injuries, such as concussions, are a silent epidemic that impacts memory.

T is for toxins: Exposure to environmental toxins—household cleaning supplies, pesticides, air pollution, alcohol, drugs, and others—can damage the brain and contribute to cognitive dysfunction.

M is for mental health: Studies have shown that depression, which the Lancet Commission recognized as a risk factor for dementia, is not the only psychiatric condition associated with memory problems. Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), ADD/ADHD, and chronic stress also significantly increase the risk of memory problems.

I is for immunity and infections: Chronic issues, such as autoimmune disorders and infections like Lyme disease, commonly impact memory and contribute to brain fog.

N is for neurohormones: Hormonal imbalances, such as thyroid issues, are associated with cognitive impairment and memory problems.

D is for diabesity: Having diabetes and/or being obese increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Research in The New England Journal of Medicine shows that even mildly elevated blood sugar levels and pre-diabetes are a significant problem and associated with brain atrophy, memory problems and dementia.

S is for sleep: A number of studies, including a 2011 study in JAMA, link sleep problems, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, to a higher risk of memory problems and dementia, but findings in the journal Neurology show that effectively treating these disorders can have a positive impact on memory and brain function.

The best way to sharpen your memory, reverse brain aging, and prevent memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease is to eliminate, prevent, or treat all the BRIGHT MINDS risk factors.

At Amen Clinics, our Memory Rescue BRIGHT MINDS Program offers a comprehensive approach to memory loss and dementia. In addition to brain SPECT imaging to identify any underlying hidden brain injuries, we also look at the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors in your life that may be contributing to memory problems.

We are available for in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.