Various health conditions, even non-neurological and in organs other than the brain, may be linked with increased dementia risk. It is well established, for example, that cardiovascular disease and metabolic diseases are closely related to dementia risk, however, dysfunction of additional organs can contribute to the risk for dementia. One example is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which according to recent evidence may be linked with brain aging and dementia risk. Other examples are pulmonary function, kidney diseases, retinal damage, hearing impairment and Sarcopenia.
Several health conditions are known to affect brain health, yet further investigation needs to be done in order to determine whether dysfunctions in organs other than brain could serve as independent risk factors for brain aging and dementia, or are linked to this risk indirectly, such as through shared risk factors or reverse causality. It is also important to have reliable measures of relevant conditions that are easily implemented to enable early detection and thus allow for early intervention. This could encompass wearable technologies or tests readily administered at general practitioner visits, for which it will help to identify optimal measures from a range of possibilities, such as among those assessing aspects of physical frailty.
This Research Topic aims to publish manuscripts focusing on the possible associations of various health conditions and organ dysfunctions with brain aging and dementia risk, as well as the development, assessment and/or validation of relevant approaches to their measurement. We welcome manuscripts on original investigations in human models, with varying study designs including clinical trials and observational studies. The manuscript should expand the understanding of already known clinical risk factors (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, hearing loss), provide evidence supporting more novel risk factors (e.g. liver disease), or address approaches to their measurement. This collection of manuscripts will be an important step to advance our knowledge of dementia pathogenesis and may lead to the development of new preventive strategies aiming to reduce the burden of dementia in older age.
Various health conditions, even non-neurological and in organs other than the brain, may be linked with increased dementia risk. It is well established, for example, that cardiovascular disease and metabolic diseases are closely related to dementia risk, however, dysfunction of additional organs can contribute to the risk for dementia. One example is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which according to recent evidence may be linked with brain aging and dementia risk. Other examples are pulmonary function, kidney diseases, retinal damage, hearing impairment and Sarcopenia.
Several health conditions are known to affect brain health, yet further investigation needs to be done in order to determine whether dysfunctions in organs other than brain could serve as independent risk factors for brain aging and dementia, or are linked to this risk indirectly, such as through shared risk factors or reverse causality. It is also important to have reliable measures of relevant conditions that are easily implemented to enable early detection and thus allow for early intervention. This could encompass wearable technologies or tests readily administered at general practitioner visits, for which it will help to identify optimal measures from a range of possibilities, such as among those assessing aspects of physical frailty.
This Research Topic aims to publish manuscripts focusing on the possible associations of various health conditions and organ dysfunctions with brain aging and dementia risk, as well as the development, assessment and/or validation of relevant approaches to their measurement. We welcome manuscripts on original investigations in human models, with varying study designs including clinical trials and observational studies. The manuscript should expand the understanding of already known clinical risk factors (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, hearing loss), provide evidence supporting more novel risk factors (e.g. liver disease), or address approaches to their measurement. This collection of manuscripts will be an important step to advance our knowledge of dementia pathogenesis and may lead to the development of new preventive strategies aiming to reduce the burden of dementia in older age.