Anxiety of varying degrees significantly increases the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to scientists from the Rotman Research Institute .
The study involved 376 people suffering from mild cognitive impairment. The age of the subjects was from 55 to 91 years. Experts monitored the volunteers for three years. Every 6 months, they collected data on anxiety, depression, cognitive and structural changes in the participants’ brains.
It found that people with mild, moderate, or severe anxiety were at 33.78% and 135% risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, respectively. In addition, the researchers found that people with mild cognitive impairment and anxiety symptoms experienced faster brain atrophy in the middle temporal lobe. This part of the brain is responsible for creating memories and affects the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
All volunteers scored low on the depression scale. This suggested that anxiety symptoms were not associated with clinical depression, another risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers strongly recommend that doctors monitor for symptoms of anxiety in people with memory problems.