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Updated: May 25, 2026
09:06
Quantitative Analysis of Cellular Composition in Advanced Atherosclerotic Lesions of Smooth Muscle Cell Lineage-Tracing Mice
Published on: February 20, 2019
Atherosclerosis and dementia - causal aspects and preventive potential
Ida Juul Rasmussen1, Jiao Luo2, Katrine Laura Rasmussen3
1Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Copenhagen University Hospital - Herlev Gentofte, Herlev, Denmark.
Atherosclerosis
|May 23, 2026
Summary
Dementia risk is linked to cardiovascular factors. Modifying midlife risks like hypertension and diabetes can prevent 45% of dementia cases, aiding early intervention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Public Health
- Genetics
Background:
- Dementia affects 50 million globally, projected to exceed 150 million by 2050.
- Dementia shares modifiable risk factors with cardiovascular diseases.
- 45% of dementia cases may be preventable by addressing midlife cardiovascular risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on cardiovascular risk factors and dementia.
- To explore genetic factors and their role in dementia prediction.
- To identify causal risk factors for dementia prevention.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific human evidence on cardiovascular risk factors and dementia.
- Application of Mendelian randomization (MR) strategies on individual-level data.
- Analysis of large-scale population biobanks.
Main Results:
- Midlife low educational level, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, high BMI, high LDL cholesterol, and high triglycerides are causal dementia risk factors.
- Genetic risk factors are important for future dementia risk prediction.
- Overlap between cardiovascular and dementia risk factors suggests therapeutic potential.
Conclusions:
- Midlife cardiovascular health is crucial for dementia prevention.
- Mendelian randomization aids in identifying causal risk factors.
- Genomics-informed drug discovery offers a therapeutic avenue for dementia.
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