Metabolic Syndrome Linked to Dementia

Metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors including high blood sugar and blood pressure and a large waistline, leads to dementia, according to a study published online in JAMA Neurology. Researchers followed 1,519 participants with normal cognitive abilities and monitored dementia progression and incidence rates. Those with diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, and other cardiovascular disease risk factors were up to four times as likely to develop dementia or experience cognitive decline when compared to those without these risk factors. Researchers suggest that screening for metabolic syndrome may offer early intervention for improving cognitive function and preventing dementia.