New Research Links Biological Age to Dementia Risk
A recent study published by the Alzheimer’s Association has revealed a connection between biological age and the risk of developing dementia. Researchers in the U.K. examined data from over 223,000 participants in the UK Biobank, using blood tests to measure metabolites—small molecules that affect fat processing, inflammation, and energy use.
From the study, nearly 4,000 participants developed dementia during subsequent follow-ups. The researchers introduced a metric called MileAge delta, which compares an individual’s metabolite-predicted age to their actual age. A larger MileAge delta indicates that a person’s blood profile appears older than their chronological age, while a smaller delta suggests a younger biological age.
The findings indicate that individuals with a higher MileAge delta face a greater risk of various types of dementia, especially vascular dementia, which is the second most common form of dementia. Notably, those with both a higher MileAge delta and the APOE gene—associated with Alzheimer’s—were found to have a tenfold increased risk of all-cause dementia.
Dr. Julian Mutz, a co-author of the study from King’s College London, remarked on the significance of these results, particularly in relation to vascular dementia. He emphasized the need to understand more risk factors beyond just genetics, stating that while a tenfold increase is substantial, it reflects a combination of genetic risk and biological aging.
He pointed out that managing cardiovascular health and staying active can help slow biological aging, which may, in turn, reduce the likelihood of dementia and other age-related conditions. “Dementia is not an inevitable part of aging,” Dr. Mutz stated. “It can potentially be delayed or prevented by modifying risk factors.”
Dr. Marc Siegel, a senior medical analyst, added that this research highlights the importance of focusing on “healthspan” rather than just “lifespan.” He noted how combining chronic illnesses with the APOE gene increases the risk of dementia. For example, the risk of vascular dementia rises by 60% when poor health is coupled with this genetic factor.
The study does have limitations, including its observational nature, which means it can only suggest associations rather than establishing direct causation. Additionally, since the data was derived from the UK Biobank, the participants may not fully represent the general population, as they were generally healthier and mostly of European descent.
Despite these limitations, the study underscores the need for more research to validate the MileAge biomarker before it can be widely implemented in clinical practice.
