Warning of dementia as ‘silent symptom’ in 20s and 30s, linked to memory problems in middle age

A surprising new study finds that high levels of inflammation in your 20s and 30s are linked to problems with thinking and memory in middle age. While inflammation in older adults has been implicated in the development of dementia, less is known about the link in younger people.

The study focused on blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a substance produced by the liver that increases when there is inflammation in the body. Published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, the study does not prove that high levels of this protein cause dementia, but simply shows an association.

Inflammation can be acute or chronic. Acute inflammation occurs when the body’s immune response fights an infection or injury. It is localized, short-lived, and part of a healthy immune system. Chronic inflammation, however, is not considered healthy, GB News reports.

This low-grade inflammation persists for months or even years throughout the body and can be caused by autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis, physical stress, or other factors. Symptoms include joint pain or stiffness, digestive issues, and fatigue. Regular exercise, following an anti-inflammatory and heart-healthy diet, and getting enough sleep are ways to reduce chronic inflammation.

“Inflammation in late life has been linked to dementia risk and early signs of cognitive decline, but less is known about inflammation in young adults and whether it might influence cognition in middle age,” said study author Kristine Yaffe, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco.

“Our study found that consistently high or moderate inflammation from early adulthood can negatively affect a person’s ability to plan, focus, and multitask, as well as how quickly they can process information in middle age.”

The study involved 2,364 people aged 24 to 58, who were followed for 18 years. Participants’ inflammation levels were measured at the start of the study and three more times throughout the research period.

The researchers divided the participants into three groups based on their level of inflammation: persistently high, moderate or increasing, and stable and lower. Of all participants, 911 people, or 39%, had persistently high inflammation; 381 people, or 16%, had moderate or increasing inflammation; and 1,072, or 45%, had stable and lower inflammation.

Five years after their last inflammation measurement, participants underwent six tests to assess their thinking and memory skills. In one test measuring processing speed and memory, participants were given a key with corresponding numbers and symbols. They then drew these symbols on a separate list of random numbers as quickly as possible.

Among those in the low group, 10% had poor cognitive performance, while those in the medium and high groups had 21% and 19% of such performance, respectively.

After adjusting for factors such as age, physical activity and total cholesterol, the researchers found that the high- and moderate-glycemic groups were more likely to have poor performance in processing speed and executive function.

When it came to processing speed, the researchers found that people in the moderate group were twice as likely to perform poorly, and those in the highest group were almost twice as likely to perform poorly as those in the lowest group. For executive function, people with the highest CRP levels had a 36% higher risk of performing poorly.

“Inflammation plays an important role in cognitive aging and may begin much earlier than previously thought,” Yaffe said. “While current prevention efforts focus primarily on older adults, our study demonstrates the need to target brain health in middle age as well. Additional research is needed to improve early detection of those at greatest risk for poor cognitive performance and to identify effective strategies to delay the cognitive aging process by addressing drivers of inflammation.”

The study was limited by the fact that other conditions associated with high levels of inflammation, such as stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes, were not assessed. The link between inflammation and dementia has been studied previously.

In a study published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, diets high in foods associated with inflammation were linked to accelerated brain aging and dementia risk. Researchers studied nearly 2,000 healthy people (mean age 62) from the Framingham Heart Study who completed dietary questionnaires and underwent brain MRI scans. Data from the questionnaires were collected over 10 years and then used to calculate participants’ Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) scores.

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The DII assesses a person’s eating habits based on a long list of substances and food types. A lower DII score suggests a more anti-inflammatory diet, while a higher score indicates a pro-inflammatory diet.

Diets classified as pro-inflammatory typically include higher amounts of simple sugars, cholesterol, saturated fats, and fried foods.

Compared with people with a low DII score, those with a high DII score had smaller brains and less gray matter, which are early markers of dementia. Men with a high DII score were also more likely to have signs of small-vessel stroke, which often do not cause immediately recognizable symptoms.

The study only demonstrated a correlation, but the results reinforce current advice that your diet and portion sizes can impact brain health as you age.

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