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Metabolic syndrome and risk for incident Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia, by Christelle Raffaitin and colleagues. Diabetes Care 32:169–174, 2009

What is the problem and what is known about it so far?

Dementia, or memory disorders and other thinking problems, affect nearly 20 percent of people older than age 75. The most frequent and well-known form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease; another form is called vascular dementia. Little is known about the causes of dementia, but there are several known risk factors that can be addressed to help prevent its development. High blood pressure is one known risk factor, and obesity and cholesterol problems may also play a role. These medical problems usually coexist and are called the metabolic syndrome. Having metabolic syndrome increases a person's chance of getting heart disease and diabetes. More study is needed about the possible links between metabolic syndrome and dementia and whether efforts to prevent diabetes and heart disease can also prevent dementia.

Why did the researchers do this particular study?

The researchers wanted to learn more about how the metabolic syndrome may be related to two types of dementia: Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

Who was studied?

The study included more than 7,000 community-dwelling people older than age 65 who were part of a larger study of risk factors for dementia.

How was the study done?

The researchers gathered data about how many of the participants had various components of the metabolic syndrome and how many developed either type of dementia. They performed statistical analysis to estimate the likelihood of developing dementia over a 4-year period in participants with various risk factors.

What did the researchers find?

People who had metabolic syndrome were more likely to develop vascular dementia but not Alzheimer's disease. High levels of blood fats (triglycerides) and diabetes were specifically linked to the development of vascular dementia.

What were the limitations of the study?

The researchers did not know how long participants had had the various components of metabolic syndrome. The duration of those conditions may have influenced the risk of getting dementia. In addition, the commonly used definitions of the components of metabolic syndrome may not be appropriate for elderly people. Also, it is possible that within the age group studied, those most likely to develop dementia had already died of heart disease.

What are the implications of the study?

Identifying and treating high blood fat levels and diabetes early on may reduce the risk of dementia for elderly people.

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