HOUSTON: Smoking, binge drinking and obesity raise the risk of dementia by shrinking your brain, researchers have found.
Now scientists have shed light on how the three risk factors can raise the chances of developing dementia, of which Alzheimer’s is the most common form.
Their findings add weight to previous suggestions that stopping smoking, curbing alcohol intake and maintaining a regular weight may keep the condition at bay.
The study analysed 1,629 persons. They were followed up for seven years and given brain scans and cognitive tests to identify problems with thinking, knowing and remembering. Patients were also tested for early stages of the illness.
Analysis revealed binge drinking was linked to smaller total brain volume, while smoking and obesity appeared to go hand in hand with shrinkage of parts of the brain associated with memory.
Scientists focused on the hippocampus, precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex areas.