Dementia: a disease associated with a 38% increased risk – one in three suffer

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Despite efforts to curb the incidence of dementia, this disease remains one of the most serious global public health problems. It is not only a state of old age. Fatty liver disease affects millions of people in the UK and can lead to cognitive decline, according to new research.

The risk of dementia increases dramatically as the brain ages, but several other factors can contribute to its decline. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Now, a new study links fatty liver disease to cognitive impairment.

People with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease may have a 38% higher risk of dementia, according to a new study. Fatty liver disease defines the accumulation of fat inside the liver, which is closely related to obesity. The condition rarely shows symptoms in its early stages, so it often goes unnoticed until serious complications develop. In the later stages, symptoms may include abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin, or swelling of the abdomen and legs.

Extreme fatigue, confusion, weakness, and other common signs of fatty liver disease. The new study is based on 30 years of Swedish national patient records for people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease aged 65 and older. Having heart disease or stroke can increase the effects of liver disease on a person's risk of developing dementia.

Common risk factors for both nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and dementia include metabolic disorders such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.

“This suggests that treatment targeting both nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease may help reduce the risk of developing dementia,” adds the doctor.