Chronic and newly developed anxiety have both been linked to an increased risk of dementia, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
A research team from the University of Newcastle in Australia analyzed data from about 2,000 participants with an average age of 76.
The study aimed to explore the connection between anxiety and dementia, given that anxiety is associated with neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, neuronal apoptosis (cell death), and cardiovascular diseases.
The team used the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale to assess each participant’s anxiety over an average period of 10 years.
Chronic anxiety was defined as anxiety lasting more than five years, while newly developed anxiety referred to anxiety that was either newly diagnosed or first identified during the study’s second assessment five years after the initial evaluation.
The results showed that participants with chronic anxiety had a 2.8 times higher risk of developing dementia, while those with newly developed anxiety had a 3.2 times higher risk. However, the risk of dementia was lower when the participants’ anxiety was resolved.
The researchers emphasized the importance of timely treatment for anxiety, as it can potentially reduce the risk of dementia.
Experts highlighted the need for comprehensive mental health care for seniors, given the link between chronic anxiety and dementia. They also called for early diagnosis and treatment of anxiety to help reduce future dementia risk. They stressed the importance of further research to understand why anxiety increases the risk of dementia.
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