Dementia risk reduction: why haven't the pharmacological risk reduction trials worked? An in-depth exploration of seven established risk factors

Ruth Peters, John Breitner, Sarah James, Gregory A. Jicha, Pierre Francois Meyer, Marcus Richards, A. David Smith, Hussein N. Yassine, Erin Abner, Atticus H. Hainsworth, Patrick G. Kehoe, Nigel Beckett, Christopher Weber, Craig Anderson, Kaarin J. Anstey, Hiroko H. Dodge

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Identifying the leading health and lifestyle factors for the risk of incident dementia and Alzheimer's disease has yet to translate to risk reduction. To understand why, we examined the discrepancies between observational and clinical trial evidence for seven modifiable risk factors: type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, estrogens, inflammation, omega-3 fatty acids, and hyperhomocysteinemia. Sample heterogeneity and paucity of intervention details (dose, timing, formulation) were common themes. Epidemiological evidence is more mature for some interventions (eg, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs]) than others. Trial data are promising for anti-hypertensives and B vitamin supplementation. Taken together, these risk factors highlight a future need for more targeted sample selection in clinical trials, a better understanding of interventions, and deeper analysis of existing data.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere12202
JournalAlzheimer's and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions
Volume7
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Neurology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Dementia risk reduction: why haven't the pharmacological risk reduction trials worked? An in-depth exploration of seven established risk factors'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this