(CLO) Experts recommend that teenagers should consider the risk of dementia in the future, after a recent study showed that unhealthy health conditions in childhood can have a lasting impact on the brain.
Children's body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and physical activity levels may influence brain structure as adults, particularly areas linked to dementia, according to new research published in the journal eBioMedicine.
In other words, poor health during childhood and adolescence can lead to impaired brain function later in life.
The study, led by a team of experts at the University of Oxford's Department of Psychiatry, in collaboration with University College London, examined data from 860 people born in the 1990s. The study tracked the health of individuals over a long period of time, examining a variety of health factors.
Illustration: GI
Scientists looked at factors such as blood pressure and BMI when they were between the ages of 7 and 17, physical activity levels between the ages of 11 and 15, and took brain scans when they were around 20 years old.
The results showed that markers of poor cardiovascular health, such as high blood pressure and increased BMI during adolescence, were associated with changes in the brain’s gray matter structure, including the thickness and surface area of these regions. These brain regions are particularly implicated in dementia as people age.
The link between cardiovascular health and brain function has been demonstrated in older adults with dementia, and the researchers say their findings provide "initial evidence" that dementia risk can be identified and reduced early in life.
“Our research suggests that cardiovascular health in early life may play a key role in the structure of brain regions affected by dementia in old age, and this happens much earlier than we previously thought,” said lead author Holly Haines.
Co-author, Associate Professor Sana Suri from the University of Oxford, stressed: "These findings suggest that we need to aim to intervene on modifiable lifestyle risk factors, such as obesity and exercise, from a young age, rather than just waiting until middle age."
Dr Richard Oakley, deputy director of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said the study was an important step forward in better understanding the link between heart health and dementia, especially when risk factors emerge from an early age.
“While no single action can prevent dementia completely, this study suggests that making lifestyle changes early on may help reduce the risk of dementia,” he said.
David Thomas, head of policy at Alzheimer's Research UK, also pointed out that the study helps us better understand the impact of unhealthy habits from an early age on later brain health. He stressed that changing habits such as reducing obesity and increasing physical activity could reduce the risk of dementia by up to 45%.
However, Dr. Oakley notes that the study was primarily conducted on white, upper- or middle-class participants, and more research is needed on more diverse populations.
Furthermore, the study is just the beginning and more research is needed to confirm the link between poor cardiovascular health in children and future risk of dementia.
Ngoc Anh (according to SCMP, eBioMedicine)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nghien-cuu-tre-em-beo-phi-it-van-dong-co-the-dan-den-chung-mat-tri-nho-post330667.html
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