A new systematic review and meta-analysis published in Psychological Medicine reveal that psychotic disorders have a strong link with dementia in comparison to other mental health disorders, such as depression or anxiety. The study showed that people with psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia are 2.5 times more likely to develop dementia than those who do not have a psychotic disorder.

In the study, the researchers analyzed the data from 11 studies from nine countries in four continents, which included almost 13 million participants in total. After analysis, they found that due to various psychotic illnesses, there was a greater risk of dementia in later parts of life, independent of the age at which someone first experienced their mental illness. Additionally, they discovered that individuals with a history of psychotic diseases are significantly more likely to receive a dementia diagnosis while they are still in their 60s than the general population.

The findings of the study add to the list of modifiable risk factors for dementia. One such modifiable risk factor is PTSD, which can increase the likelihood of dementia along with other factors such as depression and anxiety. The author of the article stated that people with psychotic disorders are more likely to have other health conditions such as cardiovascular disease or obesity, which can increase the risk of dementia. She added that they are also more likely to have a poor diet, smoke, or use drugs, which may harm their health in ways that could increase their likelihood of developing dementia.