Cognitive Decline May Come Earlier for People With Epilepsy
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Dec. 5, 2023 -- People with epilepsy suffer quicker declines in thinking than people without the brain disorder, particularly if they also have risk factors like high blood pressure or diabetes, a new study finds.
The difference was significant: Over the course of the 14-year study, those with epilepsy experienced a 65% to 70% faster decline in memory and thinking skills.
On top of that, having risk factors for heart disease pushed that percentage 20% higher.
“While epilepsy itself is associated with [mild cognitive impairment] and dementia, this risk is substantially magnified in those who also have high blood pressure, diabetes or other cardiovascular risk factors,” said lead researcher Dr. Ifrah Zawar, an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
Researchers said their study is unique because it tracked the transition to mild cognitive impairment and dementia in more than 13,700 people who started the study with healthy brains.
The participants were recruited at 39 Alzheimer’s disease centers across the United States between September 2005 and December 2021. Fewer than 1% had epilepsy, researchers said.
The rate of decline from mild cognitive impairment to dementia was the same in patients with or without epilepsy. The researchers speculate that’s probably because heart risk factors play a much bigger role than epilepsy in the later stages of dementia.
The findings were presented Friday at the American Epilepsy Society annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. Such research should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
“It is important to identify epilepsy promptly and treat it aggressively, to help slow or prevent this decline in older adults who are cognitively healthy,” Zawar said in a meeting news release. “In addition, early screening and targeted interventions towards modifiable cardiovascular risk factors may also help delay the onset of dementia.”
Sources
- American Epilepsy Society, news release, Dec. 1, 2023
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted December 2023
Read this next
FDA Approves New Drug to Treat Alzheimer's, Kisunla
TUESDAY, July 2, 2024 -- A new drug to treat Alzheimer's disease was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday. In clinical trials, donanemab (Kisunla)...
Use of 'Benzo' Sedatives Like Valium, Xanax Won't Raise Dementia Risk: Study
TUESDAY, July 2, 2024 -- Benzodiazepines do not appear to increase dementia risk, but could have subtle long-term effects on brain structure, a new study reports. Researchers...
July 4 Tips for Folks Caring for People With Alzheimer's
SUNDAY, June 30, 2024 -- Big pops of noise and light are always a part of Independence Day celebrations. But the "rocket's red glare" (and bang) can be disorienting and upsetting...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.
