Biological Age and Dementia Risk: New Insights

Your biological age might indicate your risk of dementia. Recent research from the Alzheimer’s Association examines the connection between biological age and dementia risk, determined through blood tests.

Researchers in the UK studied data from over 223,000 UK Biobank participants. They measured blood metabolites involved in fat processing, inflammation, and energy use. Health records showed nearly 4,000 participants developed dementia later.

The study introduced MileAge delta, calculated as metabolite-predicted age minus actual age. A higher MileAge delta suggests an individual’s blood looks older than expected, while a lower delta indicates a younger profile. A higher MileAge delta paired with increased genetic risk presented a 10 times greater dementia risk.

“The biological aging marker, MileAge, was especially predictive of vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia.” – Dr. Julian Mutz

The study found that people with both a higher MileAge delta and the APOE gene had a significantly greater risk of developing dementia. Dr. Julian Mutz, a King’s College London research fellow, stressed that this genetic risk hike is striking.

Understanding non-genetic factors is crucial. While genetic risks are fixed, metabolomic aging, or biological aging, can be modified through lifestyle changes or clinical interventions. Dr. Mutz emphasized that cardiovascular health, physical activity, and mental well-being management could slow biological aging, reducing dementia risk.

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, highlighted the distinction between healthspan and lifespan. He reiterated the significance of the APOE gene in dementia, especially Alzheimer’s. He noted that chronic illness with this gene raises the vascular dementia risk by 60%.

This study, despite its observational nature, underlines a significant association between older biological age and increased dementia risk. However, it does not establish causation. The research had certain limitations, such as data primarily from healthier, European ancestry participants and reliance on a single blood measurement.

The MileAge biomarker still needs further validation for clinical use. Researchers urge caution, noting that lifestyle and health factors could influence the dementia diagnosis outcomes.

Angelica Stabile reports on lifestyle for Fox News Digital.