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Relationship Between Clusters of Multimorbidity and Dementia Risk: A Systematic Review
Tiago Wiesner1,2, Paula Grammatikos2,3, Veerle van Gils4
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
|September 24, 2025
Summary
Certain combinations of chronic conditions (multimorbidity) significantly increase dementia risk, particularly cardiometabolic and mental health clusters. Understanding these patterns is key for early dementia detection and intervention.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Public Health
Background:
- Multimorbidity, the presence of multiple chronic conditions, is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for dementia.
- Specific clusters of co-occurring conditions may disproportionately elevate dementia risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review existing evidence on the association between multimorbidity clusters and dementia risk in adults.
- To identify specific multimorbidity patterns linked to increased dementia incidence.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted across Embase, PsycINFO, and Ovid MEDLINE up to February 2025.
- Included studies focused on adult populations and reported dementia risk in relation to multimorbidity clusters.
- A narrative synthesis analyzed findings, including moderation by APOE ε4 and C-reactive protein (CRP), with quality assessed using the QUIPS tool.
Main Results:
- Seven studies were included, all indicating a significant link between multimorbidity clusters and elevated dementia risk.
- Cardiometabolic and mental health/neuropsychiatric clusters showed the most consistent association with the highest dementia risk.
- Findings for other clusters were less consistent, and moderation analyses for APOE ε4 and CRP yielded inconclusive results.
Conclusions:
- Understanding multimorbidity clusters is crucial for early dementia risk identification and developing targeted interventions.
- Further research is needed to explore these relationships across diverse ethnic groups and investigate the influence of lifestyle factors.
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