The ‘age’ of your blood could predict dementia risk, new study suggests
“Dementia is not an inevitable consequence of aging,” Mutz noted. “It can potentially be delayed or prevented by modifying risk factors, including biological aging.”
The researchers found that a higher MileAge delta was linked to a higher risk of all-cause dementia. (iStock)
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel commented on these findings, noting the study points out the value of “healthspan” versus “lifespan.”
“It emphasizes the role of the APOE gene in provoking dementia, especially Alzheimer’s,” reiterated the doctor, who was not involved in the study.
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This research also highlights how chronic illness increases the chance of dementia when combined with the APOE gene, Siegel added.
“There’s a 60% increased risk of vascular dementia when poor health is combined with this gene,” he said. “Vascular dementia correlates with heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity.”
Because the study was observational, it couldn’t prove that older biological age causes a higher risk of dementia but only suggested an association. (iStock)
The study had some limitations, the researchers acknowledged. Because it was observational, the research couldn’t prove that older biological age causes a higher risk of dementia, but only suggested an association.
Because the data came from the UK Biobank, the participants tended to be healthier and primarily of European ancestry. So, they were not fully representative of the general population. The study also relied on a single blood measurement, meaning it could not track changes in biological aging over time, the researchers noted.
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Regarding the dementia diagnoses, it’s possible that lifestyle behaviors and health factors could have influenced the results.
The researchers emphasized that the MileAge biomarker still requires further validation before being used in clinical settings.
Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.
Article source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/age-blood-could-predict-dementia-risk-new-study-suggests