Potentially Modifiable Risk Factors for Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: An Umbrella Review and Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Public Health
• Gerontology

Background:

• Neurocognitive disorders (NCDs), encompassing mild cognitive impairment and dementia, represent a growing global health concern.
• The increasing prevalence necessitates a focus on preventative strategies and the identification of modifiable risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an umbrella review synthesizing existing literature on potentially modifiable risk factors for mild and major NCDs.
• To quantify the associations between identified risk factors and NCD development.

Main Methods:

• An umbrella review methodology was employed, systematically searching multiple databases for relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
• A random-effects multi-level meta-analytic approach was used to synthesize risk ratios, accounting for overlapping data.
• Analysis also focused on risk factors for major NCDs specifically due to Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

Main Results:

• Fourteen modifiable risk factors were significantly associated with NCDs: alcohol consumption, body weight, depression, diabetes mellitus, diet, hypertension, less education, physical inactivity, sensory loss, sleep disturbance, smoking, social isolation, traumatic brain injury, and vitamin D deficiency.
• All 14 factors were linked to major NCDs, while five were associated with mild NCDs.
• Research on vascular dementia and mild NCDs was notably less extensive.

Conclusions:

• The study identifies 14 modifiable risk factors contributing to NCDs, highlighting several often overlooked in current dementia action plans.
• Prevention strategies should integrate health promotion, early identification, and management of these risk factors to mitigate NCD incidence and severity.