More than 55 million persons worldwide suffer from dementia, which is the seventh largest cause of death. Recent studies have concentrated on identifying potential risk factors and early disease intervention techniques to lessen the likelihood of dementia development and halt disease progression.

According to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers have developed a point-based score that can assist clinicians in predicting a patient′s likelihood of acquiring dementia over 13 years, allowing for early intervention to delay or prevent cognitive issues.

Experts stated that the risk score "may attain virtually 100% prediction accuracy" without neuroimaging. Utilizing data from the UK Biobank, researchers created a risk model for dementia using 502 505 participants (mean age, 56 years) who had cognitively normal baselines. In the 13 years of follow-up, dementia struck 0.7% of males and 0.5% of women. According to the weighted population-attributable percentage, men and women shared certain modifiable risk and protective factors, but they also exhibited different risk factors that were responsible for 31.7% of men and 53.35% of women getting dementia, respectively.

The risk model′s total point score for men ranged from -18 to 30 and from -17 to 30 for women. The risk score had nearly 100% predictive accuracy for 13-year dementia risk in men and women, 97.59% predictive accuracy for 9-year dementia risk in men, and 99.59%in women.

This diagnostic study unveils a practical risk score tool created for predicting an individual′s risk of dementia. This tool may assist people in identifying their prospective risk profile and offer advice on specific and timely steps to support dementia delay or prevention.

(Source: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/984486?src=#vp_1)