A prevalent mental health issue could heighten the risk of , a new study suggests. Everyone encounters anxiety at some point, with life's various challenges often inducing mild feelings of worry or panic. However, , and recent research has associated it with .
The study, unveiled in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society on Wednesday, saw over 2,000 individuals averaging 76 years old observed for an average of 10 years. Chronic anxiety and new onset anxiety were linked to 2.8 and 3.
2-times higher risks of dementia, respectively, with even higher risks noted in adults who experienced anxiety before turning 70. Interestingly, those whose anxiety was resolved did not face a than those without current or past anxiety. The findings imply that managing anxiety promptly could be a feasible strategy to lower dementia risk.
As of 2024, an estimated 6.9 million Americans aged 65 and older suffer with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, according to the Alzheimer's association, and there is still no cure. While anxiety is common, the impact of its chronicity on dementia hasn't been thoroughly investigated.
This study aims to evaluate the long-term relationship between chronic versus resolved versus new onset anxiety, and the overall risk of dementia. Also known as General Anxiety Disorder, chronic anxiety refers to when a person suffers from the condition for six months or more. Sudden Onset Anxiety Disorder, or new onset anxiety, happens when a person experiences severe .