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Anxiety may increase risk for dementia

Anxiety symptoms were associated with an increased risk for dementia, according to recent findings.

“Psychiatric symptoms and disorders often co-occur with dementia and may be potentially modifiable. Anxiety disorders and symptoms are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders and symptoms in the elderly. They are associated with negative health outcomes such as increased health care costs, decreased quality of life and increased disability. Anxiety in later life is associated with worse cognitive functioning and frequently co-occurs with dementia,” Andrew J. Petkus, MA, PhD, of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and colleagues wrote. “Prior research examining anxiety as a risk factor for dementia, however, has produced mixed findings.”

To determine if anxiety influenced risk for dementia, and if genetics mediate that influence, researchers evaluated 1,082 twins without dementia from the Swedish Adoption Twin Study of Aging. Study participants were assessed in 1984 and followed for 28 years thereafter.

Baseline anxiety score, independent of depressive symptoms, was significantly associated with incident dementia during follow-up (HR = 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.06).

Individuals who experienced high anxiety at any time had were 48% more likely to develop dementia compared with those who did not experience anxiety.

In co-twin analysis, the association between anxiety symptoms and dementia was greater among dizygotic twins (HR = 1.1; 95% CI, 1.02-1.2) compared with monozygotic twins (HR = 1.06; 95% CI, 0.95-1.2).

“The finding that anxiety is associated with increased risk of dementia has important clinical implications,” Petkus and colleagues wrote. “When conducting cognitive assessments with older adults reporting subjective and objective cognitive complaints, it is important to assess for anxiety. Health care providers often misdiagnose late-life anxiety; this study demonstrates that these symptoms may be a particularly important risk factor of future dementia. Moreover, our results suggest that even subclinical anxiety is a risk factor for dementia, suggesting that clinicians should pay attention to any anxiety (not just diagnosable anxiety disorders) in older adults.” – by Amanda Oldt

Disclosure: Please see the full study for a list of all authors’ relevant financial disclosures.