What are the risk factors for dementia?

What are the risk factors for dementia?

Risk factors for dementia include:

• Age: This is the strongest risk factor. Your chance of dementia increases as you age. Most cases affect people over the age of 65.
• Family history: If you have biological parents or siblings with dementia, you’re more likely to develop dementia.
• Down syndrome: If you have Down syndrome, you’re at risk of developing early-onset Alzheimer’s disease by middle age.
• Poor heart health: If you have high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis or smoke, you increase your risk of dementia. These health problems, as well as diabetes, affect your blood vessels. Damaged blood vessels can lead to reduced blood flow and strokes.
• Race and ethnicity: If you’re a Black person, you have twice the risk as a white person for developing dementia. If you’re a Hispanic person, you’re 1.5 times more likely than a white person to develop dementia.
• Brain injury: If you’ve had a severe brain injury, you’re at a higher risk for dementia.