Researchers from Yale School of Medicine have found some hopeful news for people worried about dementia.
In a new study, they looked at two major risk factors for dementia—one that comes from your genes and another that relates to blood vessel damage in the brain.
While having both of these risk factors does increase your chances of developing dementia, the researchers also discovered that one of them can be managed with healthy lifestyle choices.
The study, published in the Annals of Neurology, explored whether these two factors work together to create even more risk than either one alone.
The genetic factor involves a version of a gene called APOE, specifically the ε4 variant. People who have this version of the gene are at a higher risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, a common form of dementia.
The second factor is known as white matter hyperintensity, or WMH. These are small areas of damage in the brain that show up as bright spots on MRI scans. They are often caused by poor blood flow and are more likely to appear in people with high blood pressure and other heart-related problems.
The researchers used data from two large studies: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and the UK Biobank. They looked at how many people had WMH, carried the APOE ε4 gene, or both. They then tracked how many of them developed dementia.
Their results showed that people with both risk factors had a higher chance of getting dementia than people with neither. However, the good news is that the risks were “additive,” not “multiplicative.”
This means that each factor added to the overall risk on its own, but they didn’t make each other worse. In other words, having the risky gene did not double the impact of the blood vessel damage, or vice versa.
This finding is important because the vascular part—the WMH—can often be prevented or managed. Things like keeping blood pressure under control, treating diabetes, eating well, and exercising can all help protect the brain from this kind of damage.
Dr. Adam de Havenon, the lead author of the study, says this gives people a way to fight back. Even if someone has inherited the APOE ε4 gene, they are not doomed to develop dementia. By focusing on heart and blood vessel health, they can lower their risk and possibly prevent or delay the disease.
He describes this situation as a “two-hit scenario.” If you have the risky gene and also neglect your vascular health, your risk is much higher. But if you take care of your health—even with a bad genetic hand—you can still protect your brain.
This research gives hope to people who may be anxious about their family history or genetic test results. It reminds us that lifestyle choices still matter a lot. While we can’t change our genes, we can take steps to keep our brains and bodies healthy for as long as possible.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about a simple solution to fight dementia and big causes of memory loss, dementia you need to know.
For more health information, please read studies that people who take high blood pressure medications have lower dementia risk and early indicators of dementia: 5 behaviour changes to look for after age 50.
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