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Association between multimorbidity and young-onset dementia: a prospective study.
Durong Chen1, Meiling Zhang2, Yalu Wen3
1Department of Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
BMC Public Health
|December 24, 2025
Summary
Multimorbidity, the presence of multiple chronic conditions, increases the risk of young-onset dementia (YOD). Specific patterns and increasing trajectories of these conditions are significantly associated with YOD development.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Multimorbidity is a known risk factor for late-onset dementia.
- The specific impact of multimorbidity on young-onset dementia (YOD) remains under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between multimorbidity burden, patterns, and trajectories and the risk of YOD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).
- Assessed multimorbidity using 12 chronic diseases (2011-2015).
- Analyzed multimorbidity patterns via hierarchical clustering and trajectories using Group-Based Trajectory Modeling (GBTM).
- YOD assessed via physician diagnosis and cognitive tests (2015-2020); Cox regression used for analysis.
Main Results:
- Nearly half of participants had multimorbidity; 189 developed YOD.
- Increased number of chronic conditions correlated with higher YOD risk (HR=1.42).
- Specific multimorbidity patterns (cardiometabolic, gastric-arthritis, mixed) significantly increased YOD risk (HRs ranging from 2.43 to 4.05).
- Both slow and rapid growth trajectories of chronic conditions were associated with increased YOD risk (HRs=1.42 and 2.67, respectively).
Conclusions:
- Multimorbidity burden, specific patterns, and worsening trajectories are linked to an elevated risk of YOD.
- Addressing multimorbidity is crucial for YOD prevention and public health improvement.
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