TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of metabolic dysfunction on cognition in humans

AU - Juul Rasmussen, Ida

AU - Qvist Thomassen, Jesper

AU - Frikke-Schmidt, Ruth

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The current review evaluates the recent literature on the impact of metabolic dysfunction in human cognition, focusing on epidemiological studies and meta-analyses of these. RECENT FINDINGS: Worldwide around 50 million people live with dementia, a number projected to triple by 2050. Recent reports from the Lancet Commission suggest that 40% of dementia cases may be preventable primarily by focusing on well established metabolic dysfunction components and cardiovascular risk factors. SUMMARY: There is robust evidence that type 2 diabetes and midlife hypertension increase risk of dementia in late life. Obesity and elevated levels of LDL cholesterol in midlife probably increase risk of dementia, but further research is needed in these areas. Physical activity, diet, alcohol, and smoking might also influence the risk of dementia through their effect on metabolic dysfunction. A key recommendation is to be ambitious about prevention, focusing on interventions to promote healthier lifestyles combating metabolic dysfunction. Only comprehensive multidomain and staff-requiring interventions are however efficient to maintain or improve cognition in at-risk individuals and will be unrealistic economic burdens for most societies to implement. Therefore, a risk score that identifies high-risk individuals will enable a targeted early intensive intervention toward those high-risk individuals that will benefit the most from a prevention against cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic dysfunction.

AB - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The current review evaluates the recent literature on the impact of metabolic dysfunction in human cognition, focusing on epidemiological studies and meta-analyses of these. RECENT FINDINGS: Worldwide around 50 million people live with dementia, a number projected to triple by 2050. Recent reports from the Lancet Commission suggest that 40% of dementia cases may be preventable primarily by focusing on well established metabolic dysfunction components and cardiovascular risk factors. SUMMARY: There is robust evidence that type 2 diabetes and midlife hypertension increase risk of dementia in late life. Obesity and elevated levels of LDL cholesterol in midlife probably increase risk of dementia, but further research is needed in these areas. Physical activity, diet, alcohol, and smoking might also influence the risk of dementia through their effect on metabolic dysfunction. A key recommendation is to be ambitious about prevention, focusing on interventions to promote healthier lifestyles combating metabolic dysfunction. Only comprehensive multidomain and staff-requiring interventions are however efficient to maintain or improve cognition in at-risk individuals and will be unrealistic economic burdens for most societies to implement. Therefore, a risk score that identifies high-risk individuals will enable a targeted early intensive intervention toward those high-risk individuals that will benefit the most from a prevention against cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic dysfunction.

U2 - 10.1097/MOL.0000000000000723

DO - 10.1097/MOL.0000000000000723

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 33278082

AN - SCOPUS:85099114041

VL - 32

SP - 55

EP - 61

JO - Current Opinion in Lipidology

JF - Current Opinion in Lipidology

SN - 0957-9672

IS - 1

ER -