Suffering bouts of nervousness or struggling to concentrate in mid-life could be an early warning sign of dementia, experts claim.
British scientists tracked over 5,000 adults aged 55 and above for more than 20 years and found that those showing clusters of specific depressive symptoms were significantly more likely to develop dementia later in life.
The study, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, identified six key depressive symptoms in midlife that could serve as early warning signs. Those at highest risk had five or more of these:
- Worsening anxiety / feeling nervous or “strung up”
- Difficulty concentrating
- Inability to face up to problems
- Lack of warmth or affection towards others
- Loss of self-confidence
- Dissatisfaction with how everyday tasks are carried out
Researchers believe that identifying these symptoms early could allow doctors to encourage lifestyle changes that may help slow the progression of dementia. Almost one million people in the UK are currently living with the condition, a number expected to rise as the population ages.
Dr Philipp Frank, lead author and research fellow at University College London, said:
“Our findings show that dementia risk is linked to a handful of depressive symptoms rather than depression as a whole. Paying attention to these patterns could open new opportunities for early prevention.”
In the study, researchers analyzed health data from 5,811 adults aged 45–69 over 23 years. They found that those who reported five or more of the six key depressive symptoms had a 27% higher risk of developing dementia later in life.
Some specific findings included:
- Those who reported loss of self-confidence had a 51% increased risk
- Those who said they were not able to face up to problems had a 49% increased risk
- Reporting not feeling warmth or affection for others had a 44% increased risk
- Feeling nervous / “strung up” carried a 34% increased risk
- Dissatisfaction with how tasks are carried out had a 33% increased risk
- Reporting difficulty concentrating had a 29% increased risk
Dr Richard Oakley of the Alzheimer’s Society commented that the connection between depression and dementia is complex, but this study helps to clarify which symptoms in midlife may indicate long-term risk.
Dementia currently claims 76,000 lives each year in the UK and costs the economy £42 billion annually, with projections to double by 2040. Early identification of risk factors, like these depressive symptoms, offers hope for prevention or delay of the disease.
