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Research conducted at UC San Francisco indicates that elevated inflammation levels in young adulthood, associated with obesity, physical inactivity, chronic illness, stress, and smoking, could predict reduced cognitive abilities later in life.

Dr. Amber Bahorik, lead author from the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, highlighted the study's aim to explore how early-life health and lifestyle habits influence cognitive skills in midlife, potentially affecting dementia risks.

"We know from long-term studies that brain changes leading to Alzheimer's disease and other dementias may take decades to develop," Bahorik said. "We wanted to see if health and lifestyle habits in early adulthood may play a part in cognitive skills in midlife, which in turn may influence the likelihood of dementia in later life."

Published on July 3 in Neurology, the research found that individuals with higher inflammation levels in early adulthood were more likely to perform poorly on processing speed and memory tests in midlife. Specifically, 10% of those with low inflammation levels showed declines, compared to 21% and 19% among those with moderate or higher inflammation levels, respectively, even after adjusting for age, physical activity, and cholesterol levels.

The study tracked 2,364 participants from the CARDIA study, assessing them periodically over 18 years for C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker, as per ScienceDaily. Cognitive tests were administered five years after the last CRP measurement, when most participants were in their forties and fifties.

About half of the participants were female, with nearly half identifying as Black and the remainder as white. Findings indicated that 45% had stable lower inflammation, while 16% experienced moderate or increasing inflammation, and 39% had higher inflammation levels.

Dr. Kristine Yaffe, senior author and professor at UCSF, underscored the significant role inflammation plays in cognitive aging, suggesting both direct and indirect impacts on cognition. "Inflammation plays a significant role in cognitive aging and may begin in early adulthood," Yaffe stated. "There is likely a direct and indirect effect of inflammation on cognition."

The leading expert in dementia prevention also noted that strategies like increasing physical activity and quitting smoking could potentially mitigate inflammation and its cognitive effects.