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A study conducted by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Medicine and the Richmond VA Medical Center has uncovered a significant connection between liver disease and dementia.

The research found that approximately 13% of individuals diagnosed with dementia may actually be suffering from reversible cognitive decline due to advanced liver disease.

The study builds upon previous findings, which suggested that about 10% of U.S. veterans diagnosed with dementia may instead have cirrhosis. Differentiating between dementia and hepatic encephalopathy, a cognitive decline caused by cirrhosis, poses challenges for physicians. If undetected, patients may miss out on treatments capable of halting or even reversing impairment.

Hepatic encephalopathy, caused by cirrhosis, leads to extensive liver scarring and the buildup of toxins in the bloodstream. These toxins can disrupt brain function, resulting in symptoms such as confusion and delirium.

Published in The American Journal of Medicine, the research showed the importance of early liver disease assessments in dementia patients, even in the absence of a cirrhosis diagnosis. Identifying cirrhosis early offers opportunities to address reversible causes of cognitive decline, potentially enhancing patient outcomes.

"This important link between dementia and liver health emphasizes the importance of screening patients for potentially treatable contributors to cognitive decline," said Dr. Jasmohan Bajaj, the study's corresponding author and a gastroenterologist at the VCU Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health.

In their latest analysis, researchers reviewed health records of nearly 69,000 nonveteran dementia patients between 2009 and 2019. Alarmingly, almost 13% of these patients exhibited high liver tissue scarring scores, indicating a likely presence of cirrhosis.

Dr. Bajaj suggested that integrating liver assessments into routine care using tools like the FIB-4 index could streamline early detection efforts. This noninvasive screening tool evaluates liver disease risk based on multiple factors, including age.

"Early detection of liver issues, which can contribute to the treatable cognitive decline known as hepatic encephalopathy, in those with dementia could help ensure that patients get access to targeted and appropriate therapies," Dr. Bajaj noted, as per Medical Xpress.

The study's findings extend beyond veterans, showing unexpectedly higher rates among nonveteran populations compared to veterans. Factors contributing to cirrhosis risk include advanced age, male gender, congestive heart failure, viral hepatitis, alcohol use, and specific health conditions.

Moving forward, Dr. Bajaj stressed the importance of raising awareness among healthcare providers about the overlap between dementia and hepatic encephalopathy.