Overview

• The Oxford study published in Brain Communications used data from 282,712 UK Biobank participants to map how 46 chronic conditions affect dementia risk across different age windows
• Diagnoses of heart disease, atrial fibrillation or diabetes before age 55 were most strongly linked to increased likelihood of dementia in later life
• Onset of stroke, anxiety or depression between ages 55 and 70 was associated with a twofold rise in dementia risk
• Researchers in Pennsylvania reported that Chlamydia pneumoniae and SARS-CoV-2 infections trigger brain cytokine surges that may speed Alzheimer’s-related protein buildup
• Scientists urge replication in more diverse cohorts to confirm these age-specific risk windows and evaluate whether early interventions can reduce dementia incidence