Anemia in Older Adults Linked with Dementia

A new study has found that anemia in older adults is a risk factor for dementia.

Anemia (uh-NEE-me-uh) is a condition where there are fewer-than-normal red blood cells in the blood.

"Anemia is common in the elderly and occurs in up to 23 percent of adults ages 65 and older," said Kristine Yaffe, MD from the University of California and the lead author of the study. "The condition has also been linked in studies to an increased risk of early death."

Many people suffer from memory loss as they get older. Dementia is a term that describes loss of brain function that can occur due to many reasons. Dementia generally occurs after 60 years of age and is characterized by loss of memory, language, thinking and behavioral changes. About 24 million people in the world are affected by this condition and it is one of the world's fastest growing diseases.

The study was based on data from over 2,500 people aged 70 to 79 years. These people underwent tests for anemia and dementia for over 11 years. At the start of the study, about 393 people had anemia and by the end the number had gone up to 445 people.

The results showed that people who had anemia at the start of the study were at 41 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with dementia than people who did not have anemia. About 23 percent of the anemic group developed dementia compared with about 17 percent in the control group.

The association between anemia and dementia remained even after the researchers accounted for other factors such as age, race, education and gender.

 "There are several explanations for why anemia may be linked to dementia. For example, anemia may be a marker for poor health in general, or low oxygen levels resulting from anemia may play a role in the connection. Reductions in oxygen to the brain have been shown to reduce memory and thinking abilities and may contribute to damage to neurons," said Yaffe in a press release.

The study is published in the journal Neurology®.