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Scientists have uncovered how factors like alcohol and pollution can increase dementia risk.

In a groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications, researchers have unveiled significant insights into the intricate interplay of genetic and modifiable risk factors influencing dementia.

By analyzing brain scans of over 40,000 individuals from the UK Biobank, the study mapped a specific brain network vulnerable to aging, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease, emphasizing the pronounced effects of diabetes, pollution and alcohol consumption.

Led by Prof. Gwenaëlle Douaud, the study identified a "weak spot" in the brain, particularly susceptible to degeneration, which manifests earlier in aging and is linked to various neurological conditions.

The research underscored the influence of lifestyle and environmental factors on this fragile brain network, revealing diabetes, traffic-related air pollution and alcohol intake as the most detrimental risk factors.

"We know that a constellation of brain regions degenerates earlier in aging, and in this new study we have shown that these specific parts of the brain are most vulnerable to diabetes, traffic-related air pollution - increasingly a major player in dementia - and alcohol, of all the common risk factors for dementia," Douaud explained, Neuroscience reported.

The comprehensive analysis examined 161 modifiable risk factors, categorizing them into 15 broad categories, including blood pressure, cholesterol, depressive mood and socialization.

Douaud said their findings led to the unexpected discovery of genetic associations with cardiovascular diseases and the XG blood group system.

Co-author Prof. Lloyd Elliott noted the importance of exploring genetic terra incognita, particularly the genetic variations within the XG blood group region shared by both X and Y chromosomes.

The study's holistic approach, considering the unique contribution of each risk factor, showed the prominence of diabetes, pollution and alcohol in exacerbating dementia risk.

Prof. Anderson Winkler highlighted the study's novelty in assessing the cumulative impact of multiple risk factors on the vulnerable brain network beyond the effects of age and sex.

The research not only elucidates critical risk factors for dementia but also paves the way for targeted interventions and preventive strategies.