Anxiety disorders in old age increase the risk of dementia

July 26, 2024 at 11:00 AM |
Reading time: 3 minutes

Unresolved worries and anxiety disorders can increase the risk of dementia as we age. That's the finding of a long-term Australian study. But it also shows how those affected can reduce their risk again. FITBOOK author Fredrik Ostermeier presents the most important findings.

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This is how the study went

Researchers at the University of Newcastle (Australia) analyzed data from 2,132 people aged 55 to 85. The average age was 76. They took part in the “Fishing Community Study.” This is a comprehensive population-based cohort study in Australia that examines important factors such as health, well-being and the economic consequences of ageing. The participants were followed for ten years. Sixty-four participants (three percent) developed dementia during this period. Symptoms of anxiety and how they coped with them were recorded using special questionnaires. The researchers found that anxiety disorders — both chronic and new — increased the risk of dementia by 2.8 and 3.2 times, respectively. Remarkably, the association was most pronounced among those under 70, according to the study, which was recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. For them, the increased risk was 4.6 times for chronic anxiety and 7.21 times for new anxiety.¹

Fear as a new risk factor

In 2020, more than 55 million people worldwide will be living with dementia, and this number is expected to rise to 78 million by 2030 and 139 million by 2050.² Since there is no effective treatment for dementia, scientists are looking for ways to effectively prevent the disease. “The results suggest that anxiety could be a new risk factor that should be considered in dementia prevention,” explains study author Dr. Hans. Kai Khaeng in a press release.³ As one of the first studies to examine the effects of ongoing anxiety (chronic anxiety versus new anxiety) and timing of anxiety exposure on dementia risk, the findings are crucial to the scientist and her team.

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Overcoming anxiety disorder reduces the risk of dementia

The researchers also looked at how the risk of dementia developed in people who overcame their anxiety disorder. The good news: The risk was similar to that of people who never had to deal with severe anxiety symptoms. Fear isn’t something that necessarily “sticks” in the brain, but it can actually be reversed—along with its physical health consequences. Physically, this also includes neurodegenerative disease (the self-destruction of brain cells), brain atrophy (a decrease in brain mass) and cardiovascular disease. “These are all known risk factors for dementia.”

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Treating anxiety in a timely manner

The researchers also suspect that anxiety could be an early symptom of dementia. The stronger the fear, the greater the risk of developing dementia. “But we also suggest that treating anxiety can reduce this risk, and raising awareness of this issue while providing comprehensive psychotherapy services could also be key to countering the suspected sharp increase in new cases of dementia in the coming years and decades.”