Dementia, which refers to a larger group of neurological diseases including Alzheimer's, is one of the most challenging things for medical professionals to deal with, as there's no active cure.
Still, there might be progress made following a staggering revelation in a new study.
There have been several vital forms of research in recent years into what triggers dementia and cognitive diseases in the body.
It comes as some speculate that one common habit could be at the start, whereas others point towards a key health indicator.
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Alongside this, there have naturally been efforts made by experts to prevent the development of the disease, as people are encouraged to make lifestyle changes and look out for early signs that could make the fight against the disease a lot easier, despite no cure being present.
However, new discoveries have been revealed in a groundbreaking study published in the Nature Human Behaviour journal, linking the development of dementia with sixteen different 'peripheral' diseases.
As shared by the Mirror, this study indicates that the risk of dementia is heightened if an individual develops one of the listed diseases, which could not only help inform and prepare people for it ahead of time, but perhaps even provide hints towards a potential cure.
"This study revealed that a series of peripheral diseases were associated with increased risk of dementia and collectively were related to about one-third of the global dementia burden," the study outlines, "highlighting the need for targeted public health strategies."
This one-third estimate relates approximately to 19 million cases worldwide, and a push to deal with these linked diseases could alleviate a significant burden and cut out the risk of dementia before it even occurs.
As to the sixteen diseases in question, they are as follows:
- Periodontal diseases
- Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases
- Age-related and other hearing loss
- Blindness and vision loss
- Type-2 diabetes mellitus
- Chronic kidney disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Stroke
- Ischaemic heart disease
- Chronic pulmonary disease
- Asthma
- Atrial fibrillation and flutter
- Atopic dermatitis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
Of course, while the link is present between the diseases in this list and the development of dementia, no certainty that developing one or even multiple will guarantee that you eventually suffer from cognitive issues, only that the risk is greater and seemingly prompted by the preliminary disease.
While we're still a long way away from a complete cure, this study definitely represents positive progress that can't be ignored, and its call to action could be critical for the future of millions worldwide.