A study reveals that people with liver diseases are more likely to suffer from Dementia

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• Jul 19, 2022 | Kabir Chakraborty

No increased prevalence of Alzheimer's disease was discovered by researchers. Dementia risk was 50% higher in people with liver disease who also had heart disease. Dementia risk increased by more than 2.5 times in people with liver disease and stroke.

Digital Desk: According to a
recent study published in the journal Neurology, people with non-alcoholic
fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is characterized by an accumulation of fat
cells in the liver, have a higher chance of developing dementia. NAFLD is the
most widespread liver condition, affecting about 25% of people worldwide.

The illness, which is
typically asymptomatic, may advance from the buildup of fat in liver cells to
liver inflammation and cirrhosis. While excessive alcohol consumption can
result in a fatty liver, obesity and illnesses like high blood pressure or Type
2 diabetes that are associated with it might result in NAFLD. According to the
study, those with NAFLD had a 38% higher overall rate of dementia than those
without liver disease, and those with NAFLD who also had heart disease or a
stroke may be at an even higher risk of dementia.

Researchers discovered that
those with NAFLD had an incidence of vascular dementia, which is brought on by
insufficient blood flow to the brain that was 44% greater than that of those
without liver disease. No increased prevalence of Alzheimer's disease was
discovered by researchers. Dementia risk was 50% higher in people with liver
disease who also had heart disease. Dementia risk increased by more than 2.5
times in people with liver disease and stroke.

According to Ying Shang from
the Swedish Karolinska Institute, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is linked
to dementia development, which may be primarily caused by vascular damage in
the brain. These findings show a potential link between the targeted therapy of
this type of liver disease and co-existing cardiovascular illness and a decreased
risk of dementia.

Researchers found 2,898
people 65 and older with NAFLD diagnosis for the study. The second stage was to
identify 28,357 people who were healthy at the time of diagnosis and matched
for age, sex, and city of residence. In comparison to 1,291 individuals without
liver disease (4.6%), 145 patients with NAFLD (or 5%) had dementia after an
average of more than five years of follow-up.