Potential Risk Factor For Dementia Research Articles

Physical Activity in Late Middle- to Older-Aged People and Dementia, Cognitive, and Physical Function Two Decades Later

Introduction: Low physical activity (PA) is a potential risk factor for dementia and cognitive impairment. However, few studies have focused on very old people (aged ≥80 years), the age group with highest prevalence of dementia. The aim was to investigate if PA associated with subsequent dementia, cognitive function, and gait speed (GS), in very old people. Methods: A population-based survey was conducted in 1999 and followed-up between 2016 and 2019 in participants ≥80 years. Altogether 541 individuals (56.2% women), 64.9 ± 4.2 years of age at baseline participated. Self-rated baseline PA was categorized into low, medium, or high. Cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), executive function with the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), and GS (in meters/second) was measured over 2.4 m at follow-up. Results: During a mean of 19.0 ± 1.1 years, 175 (32.3%) developed dementia. Low or medium PA compared to high PA did not associate with subsequent dementia, and PA did not associate with future cognitive function (MMSE). PA associated with executive function (FAB) (unstandardized beta [95% confidence interval]) (0.67 [0.07–1.27]), but not after adjustments. PA associated with subsequent GS in the unadjusted model and after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, and education (0.06 [0.02–0.09], and 0.04 [0.01–0.08], respectively), but not after adding adjustment for hypertension, obesity, and glucose intolerance. Conclusion: No support was found for the hypothesis that low PA is a potential risk factor for dementia in very high age. However, PA and executive function were associated in unadjusted analyses which indicate that PA may be important for at least one aspect of cognitive function. The association between PA and GS around 2 decades later seems attenuated by cardiometabolic risk factors. Future investigations regarding PA, dementia, and cognitive decline may consider cardiometabolic risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, and glucose intolerance, and include repeated measures of PA over the life course.

Cognitive Impairment in Thalassemia and Associated Factors

Introduction: Patients with thalassemia increase the risk of developing cognitive impairment. Chronic anemia, oxidative stress from excess iron, and hypercoagulable state were related to this condition. The study regarding its prevalence and the associated factor in Southeast Asia is limited. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the prevalence of cognitive impairment and associated factors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of thalassemic patients aged 18 years or more at the Hematology Clinic of Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, from January to May 2021. The Thai version of the Mini-Cog test was used to determine the presence of cognitive impairment. The clinical and laboratory parameters indicated as potential risk factors for dementia were evaluated in all patients. A stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to determine the associated risk factors for cognitive impairment. Results: Among 150 patients, cognitive impairment was found in 40 patients (26.7%). Age per 10-year increase (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] of 1.6), no iron chelation therapy (AOR of 9.8), current smoking (AOR of 5.0), hemoglobin (Hb) (AOR of 0.63), and ferritin (AOR of 1.0001) were independent factors associated with cognitive impairment. Conclusions: The prevalence of cognitive impairment was high among thalassemic patients. Increasing age, low Hb, iron overload, and current smoking were significant associated factors with cognitive impairment. Screening for dementia in these patients is recommended, particularly in patients with high-risk factors.

Health Care Utilization and Out-of-Pocket Payments among Elderly with Cognitive Frailty in Malaysia.

Background: Cognitive frailty (CF) as a potential risk factor for dementia, functional disability, poor quality of life, and mortality. The aim of this study was to explore the health care-related utilization and out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures, sociodemographic characteristics, and comorbidities among elderly Malaysians with CF. Methods: A cross-sectional study targeting elderly Malaysian aged ≥65 years was conducted. The study included all participants of the fourth phase of the Malaysian representative Long-Term-Research-Grant-Scheme Towards-Useful-Aging (LRGS-TUA) community-based study. A structured and validated interview questionnaire was used. Results: In total, 1006 elderly were interviewed, with a 66.18% response rate. Only 730 respondents met the inclusion criteria. Of the eligible respondents, the CF prevalence was 4.5%. Around 60.6% of the participants with CF had utilized outpatient care at government clinics within the past 6 months. The estimated mean total OOP payments for CF during the past 6 months was 84 Malaysian Ringgit (RM) (SD 96.0). Conclusions: CF among elderly Malaysians is within the internationally recognized range of prevalence. The OOP payments for seeking health care among CF elderly are not different from that of other elderly categories. There is a high possibility of underutilization of the health care services of CF cases while they are still needy.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as a risk factor for dementia and mild cognitive impairment: a population-based register study.

AbstractBackgroundPrevious research has indicated that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with an increased risk for dementia, but studies are scarce and inconclusive. We aimed to investigate the association between ADHD, and dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Additionally, we aimed to investigate the impact of comorbid conditions, educational attainment, head injuries, other developmental disorders, and sex on the association.MethodsThe study population consisted of 3,591,689 individuals born between 1932 and 1963, identified from Swedish population-based registers. Cases of ADHD, dementia and MCI were defined according to ICD diagnostic codes and ATC codes for medication prescriptions. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to test the associations between ADHD, and dementia and MCI.ResultsIndividuals with ADHD had an increased risk for dementia and MCI. After adjusting for sex and birth year, a hazard ratio (HR) was 2.92 (95% confidence interval 2.40–3.57) for dementia, and 6.21 (5.25–7.35) for MCI. Additional adjustment for psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, and bipolar disorder) substantially attenuated the associations, HR = 1.62 (1.32–1.98) for dementia, and 2.54 (2.14–3.01) for MCI. Common metabolic disorders (hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and obesity), sleep disorders, head injuries, educational attainment, and other developmental disorders, had a limited impact on the association. The association between ADHD and dementia was stronger in men.ConclusionsADHD is a potential risk factor for dementia and MCI, although the risk significantly attenuates after controlling for psychiatric disorders. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to explore underlying mechanisms of the associations.

A Traditional Review of Sickle Cell Disease and the Associated Onset of Dementia: Hematological and Neurocognitive Crossroads.

Sickle cell trait and disease are potential risk factors for dementia and cognitive dysfunction in African Americans, as are genetic variants. This illness affects around 300 million people globally. Due to its ability to defend against severe malaria, it represents an evolutionary survival advantage. It has been shown that sickle cell disease and trait are independent risk factors for the prevalence and incidence of albuminuria and chronic renal disease. Sickle cell anemia impairs cognitive performance in people with minimal or mild manifestations of the genetic blood disorder, owing mostly to its cerebrovascular implications. Similarly, various cerebral minor vascular disorders, such as silent cerebral infarcts, have been linked to the sickle cell trait, which is associated with impaired cognitive ability. It has been found that patients with sickle cell disease have a significantly decreased subcortical and cortical brain volume. Adults and children with sickle cell disease have been documented to have attention-related issues, particularly reduced sustained attention.

Diabetes Mellitus and the Possibility of Developing Dementia

Background: Dementia and cognitive dysfunction have many causes. There is strong evidence that diabetes mellitus (DM) increases the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. A prophylactic approach, optimal glycaemic control, and identification of diabetic risk factors are essential to preventing cognitive complications.
 Objective: The main objectives of this study are to assess the severity of dementia by using the Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR), and the effect of longevity of diabetes mellitus on the severity of dementia.
 Method: It is a Hospital-based prospective observational study, in which the patients were enrolled into the study after taking an informed consent form from them based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria.
 Results: Out of 80 patients, 62(77.5%) were suffering with dementia and 18(22.5%) were found to be normal. The diabetes patients included in this study had a duration of diabetes ranges from 6 to 30 years. Using the CDR scale, 24 of them (30%) were diagnosed with moderate dementia.
 Conclusion: According to our findings, we emphasize the need to consider DM as a potential risk factor for dementia.

Association of sudden sensorineural hearing loss with dementia: a nationwide cohort study

BackgroundImpaired cochlear blood perfusion and microvascular damage can cause sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), which is a potential risk factor for dementia. This study explored the association between SSHL and dementia.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study used a random sample of 1000,000 individuals from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. We identified 3725 patients newly diagnosed with SSHL between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2009, and propensity score matching according to age, sex, index year, comorbidities, and medications was used to select the comparison group of 11,175 patients without SSHL. Participants were stratified by age (<65 and ≧65 years) and sex for the subgroup analyses. The outcome of interest was all cause dementia (ICD-9-CM codes 290.0, 290.4, 294.1, 331.0). Both groups were followed up until December 31, 2010, for diagnoses of dementia. Cox regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of dementia.ResultsDuring the average 5-year follow-up period, the incidence rate of dementia in the SSHL cohort was 6.5 per 1000 person-years compared with 5.09 per 10,000 person-years in the comparison group. After adjustment for potential confounders, patients with SSHL were 1.39 times more likely to develop dementia than those without SSHL (95% confidence interval = 1.13–1.71). When stratified by patients’ age and sex, the incidence of dementia was 1.34- and 1.64-fold higher in patients with SSHL aged ≥65 years (P = .013) and in women (P = .001), respectively, compared with the comparison group. Women with SSHL who were < 65 years old had the highest risk (2.14, 95% CI = 1.17–4.11, P = .022). In addition, a log-rank test revealed that patients with SSHL had significantly higher cumulative incidence of dementia than those without SSHL (P = .002).ConclusionsPatients with SSHL, especially women aged < 65 years, were associated with higher risk of dementia than those without SSHL. Thus, clinicians managing patients with SSHL should be aware of the increased risk of dementia.

Effect of Severe External Airborne Agents' Exposure on Dementia.

The impact of occupational and environmental exposure to external airborne agents on cognitive function, especially in incidence of dementia, is understudied. The present study was conducted to elucidate the association between severe external airborne agents’ exposure and incidence of dementia among an elderly population and to explore the effects of exposure to severe external airborne agents on preclinical dementia using the screening test of dementia. From the National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HealS, 2002–2015), 514,580 participants were used for data analysis. We estimated the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) according to the exposure to external airborne agents. Of the total participants (n = 514,580), 1340 (0.3%) experienced severe external airborne agents exposure, and 26,050 (5.1%) had been diagnosed with dementia. The SIRs (95%CI) of dementia in Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, dementia in other diseases, and unspecific dementia were 1.24 (1.01–1.49), 0.88 (0.37–1.32), 1.16 (0.01–2.77), and 0.69 (0.36–1.02), respectively. The risk of testing positive in the dementia screening significantly increased with exposure to severe external airborne agents after adjusting for all confounding variables. This study found that exposure to severe external airborne agents is a potential risk factor for dementia, especially in Alzheimer’s disease. It is essential to create international awareness regarding the effect of airborne agents’ exposure on dementia.

Sleep disorders and risk of dementia in patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

This study examined the relationship between sleep disorders and the risk of dementia in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. This study used the Korean Health Screening Cohort data and included 39 135 subjects aged ≥40 years with new-onset type 2 diabetes between 2004 and 2007, with follow-up throughout 2013. Sleep disorders were measured by F51(sleep disorders not due to a substance or known physiological condition) or G47(sleep disorders) under International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes as a primary diagnosis, and the adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) and 95% CI of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer disease, vascular dementia, and other dementia were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. In the patients with type 2 diabetes with an age range between 42 and 84 years (M = 57.8, SD = 9.5), this study identified 2059 events of dementia during an average follow-up time of 5.7 years. In patients with type 2 diabetes, subjects with sleep disorders were associated with an increased risk of all-cause dementia (AHR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.19-1.80), Alzheimer disease (AHR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.02-1.88), and other dementia (AHR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.23-2.31) compared to those without sleep disorders. Men (AHR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.42-2.62) and older adults (AHR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.35-2.15) with sleep disorders were associated with an increased risk of dementia than their counterparts without sleep disorders among patients with type 2 diabetes. These findings suggest that sleep disorders are significantly associated with an increased risk of dementia in patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes.

Subjective cognitive decline and subsequent dementia: a nationwide cohort study of 579,710 people aged 66 years in South Korea

BackgroundSubjective cognitive decline (SCD) is a potential risk factor for dementia. We aimed to investigate the association between SCD and subsequent dementia in a nationwide population-based cohort in South Korea.MethodsThis cohort included 579,710 66-year-old adults who were followed for a total of 3,870,293 person-years (average 6.68 ± 1.33 years per person). All subjects completed a questionnaire about subjective memory impairment, the Pre-screening Korean Dementia Screening Questionnaire (KDSQ-P), which included a validated 5-item derivative, and were determined to have SCD based on a single question assessing memory decline. Depressive symptoms were assessed in all subjects using a 3-item modified geriatric depression scale. Hazard ratios were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards model and compared between subjects with and without SCD.ResultsCompared to subjects without SCD, those with SCD were more likely to develop dementia (incidence per 1000 person-years: non-SCD, 5.66; SCD, 8.59). After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the risk of subsequent dementia significantly increased in subjects with SCD, with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.38 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34 to 1.41). The risk of subsequent dementia was greatly increased in subjects with higher KDSQ-P scores (aHR = 2.77, 95% CI 2.35 to 3.27). A significant association between SCD and dementia was observed in both depressive and non-depressive symptom groups (aHR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.42 to 1.57 in subjects with depressive symptoms; aHR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.37 in subjects without depressive symptoms; P = 0.001).ConclusionsIn this population of 66-year-old individuals, SCD was significantly associated with an increased risk of subsequent dementia. This association was found in both depressive and non-depressive groups, with an increased risk of dementia in the presence of depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that SCD indicates a risk for dementia. Further studies are needed to delineate potential approaches to preventing the development of dementia in individuals with SCD.

Factors Associated with the High Prevalence of Dementia in Older Aboriginal Australians.

Dementia prevalence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians is three to five times higher than the general Australian population. A better understanding of the underlying biomedical and social risk factors is needed to guide dementia prevention in Aboriginal Australians. The current study is the first to examine potential risk factors for dementia in the majority urban and regional population, with a representative sample of 336 Aboriginal Australians aged 60 years and older. Participants included 45 people with a dementia diagnosis (n = 27 probable/possible Alzheimer’s disease); and 286 people without dementia. Univariate logistic regression analyses (controlling for age) identified childhood trauma, mid-life factors (history of unskilled work, past high-risk alcohol use), and medical factors (history of stroke, head injury with loss of consciousness, epilepsy) as risk factors for dementia. Multivariable analysis revealed age, childhood trauma, unskilled work, stroke, and head injury as independent predictors of all-cause dementia. A range of comorbid factors related to dementia was also identified (i.e., functional impairment, incontinence, recent hospital admission, low body mass index, living in residential care, depression, current high-risk alcohol use, social isolation, low physical activity levels). These findings extend previous outcomes in a remote Aboriginal population by highlighting that life-course social determinants of health, in addition to neurological disorders, likely play an important role in elevating dementia risk. Certain psychosocial and medical exposures are highly prevalent in Aboriginal Australians, similar to other indigenous populations, and should be considered when designing targeted and culturally appropriate prevention initiatives to reduce the burden of dementia.

Mechanisms of diabetes and dementia

Mechanisms of diabetes and dementia

The Use of Data Mining Methods for the Prediction of Dementia: Evidence From the English Longitudinal Study of Aging.

Dementia in older age is a major health concern with the increase in the aging population. Preventive measures to prevent or delay dementia symptoms are of utmost importance. In this study, a large and wide variety of factors from multiple domains were investigated using a large nationally representative sample of older people from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Seven machine learning algorithms were implemented to build predictive models for performance comparison. A simple model ensemble approach was used to combine the prediction results of individual base models to further improve predictive power. A series of important factors in each domain area were identified. The findings from this study provide new evidence on factors that are associated with the dementia in later life. This information will help our understanding of potential risk factors for dementia and identify warning signs of the early stages of dementia. Longitudinal research is required to establish which factors may be causative and which factors may be a consequence of dementia.

Night shift work, long working hours and dementia: a longitudinal study of the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study

ObjectiveShift work and long working hours are potential risk factors for dementia, but previous studies on shift work, long working hours and dementia are sparse and their findings are conflicting....

Hypertension and High Blood Pressure Are Associated With Dementia Among Chinese Dwelling Elderly: The Shanghai Aging Study.

Background: To explore the association between blood pressure and cognition in older participants in the Shanghai Aging Study.Methods: Data were drawn from 3,327 participants at the baseline of Shanghai Aging Study. History of hypertension was inquired and confirmed from participants' medical records. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured by research nurses in the early morning. Participants were diagnosed with “cognitive normal,” “mild cognitive impairment (MCI),” or “dementia” by neurologists using DSM-IV and Petersen criteria. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between history of hypertension, duration of hypertension, SBP, DBP, or classification of blood pressure and cognitive function. Generalized linear model was used to assess the relation between duration of hypertension, SBP, or DBP and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).Results: A significantly higher proportion of hypertension [78 (76.5%)] was found in participants with dementia than in those with MCI [347 (59.3%)] and cognitive normal [1,350 (51.1%)] (P < 0.0001). Participants with dementia had significantly higher SBP [157.6 (26.1) mmHg] than those with MCI [149.0 (23.7) mmHg] and cognitive normal [143.7 (22.6) mmHg] (P < 0.0001). After adjusting for sex, age, education, living alone, body mass index, anxiety, depression, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, the likelihood of having dementia was positively associated with history of hypertension (OR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.22, 3.61), duration of hypertension (OR = 1.02 per increment year; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.04), higher SBP (OR = 1.14 per increment of 10 mmHg; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.25), higher DBP (OR = 1.22 per increment of 10 mmHg; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.45), moderate hypertension (OR = 2.09; 95% CI: 1.10, 3.99), or severe hypertension (OR = 2.45; 95% CI: 1.20, 4.99). The MMSE score was inversely correlated to duration of hypertension (β = −0.0088 per increment year; 95% CI: −0.0158, −0.0018, P = 0.0132), SBP (β = −0.0655 per increment of 10 mmHg; 95% CI: −0.1022, −0.0288, P = 0.0005), and DBP (β = −0.1230 per increment of 10 mmHg; 95% CI: −0.1915, −0.0545, P = 0.0004).Conclusion: Our results suggest that hypertension and high blood pressure may be potential risk factors for dementia. Blood pressure management for the elderly may be important for maintaining cognitive vitality.

Homocysteine and Cerebral Atrophy: The Epidemiology of Dementia in Singapore Study.

Plasma homocysteine levels are increasingly studied as a potential risk factor for dementia. Elevated homocysteine levels have been linked with gray and white matter volume reduction among individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. However, the effects of homocysteine on brain changes in preclinical stages of dementia remain unexplored. To examine the association of elevated homocysteine levels with markers of neurodegeneration, i.e., white and gray matter volume in an elderly population. The study included 768 participants (mean age: 69.6±6.5 years, 51.3% women) from the Epidemiology of Dementia In Singapore study. Participants underwent a brain MRI scan and blood tests. Serum homocysteine was measured using competitive immunoassay. Cortical thickness and subcortical structural volume were quantified using FreeSurfer whereas white matter volume was quantified using a previous validated method. Higher homocysteine levels were significantly associated with decreased global white matter volume [mean difference (β) in volume (ml) per micromole per liter (μmol/l) increase in homocysteine levels: - 0.555, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): - 0.873; - 0.237], decreased parietal cortical thickness [β in thickness (μm) per μmol/l increase in homocysteine levels:- 1.429, 95% CI: - 2.781; - 0.077], and smaller volumes of the thalamus [β: - 0.017, 95% CI: - 0.026; - 0.008], brainstem [β: - 0.037, 95% CI: - 0.058; - 0.016], and accumbens [β: - 0.004, 95% CI: - 0.006; - 0.002]. Higher homocysteine levels were associated with cerebral atrophy. Further studies are required to assess whether lowering plasma homocysteine levels may prevent neurodegenerative changes or delay progression of clinical symptoms before the development of dementia.

Rapid Eye Movement Sleep: Another Link in the Sleep–Dementia Connection

Sleep disturbances have been examined recently as a potential risk factor for dementia. In this study, investigators analyzed whether objective sleep

Don't forget the person when promoting healthy cognitive aging: Comment on Smith (2016).

Smith (2016) provided a valuable review on healthy cognitive aging, addressing potential risk factors for dementia, as well as multiple mechanisms for preventing dementia. However, missing in this discussion was an acknowledgment of the potential that personality may play in shaping trajectories of cognitive aging. The current response provides a brief review of the ever accruing evidence that our dispositional traits and self-efficacy beliefs can predict trajectories of cognitive aging, as well as the mechanisms that produce these trajectories, including participants' likelihood to adhere to intervention efforts to reduce cognitive decline. We conclude by presenting recommendations for how cognitive aging researchers and practitioners can integrate personality science into their work. (PsycINFO Database Record

Risk analysis of use of different classes of antidepressants on subsequent dementia: A nationwide cohort study in Taiwan.

Depression and dementia are common mental health problems and are associated in several ways. Early-life depression is associated with increased risk of later life dementia, and depression can present as a preclinical symptom or consequence of dementia. Despite the plausible relationship between these two clinical entities, the potential association between antidepressant medication and dementia has rarely been investigated. We conducted a 9-year retrospective analysis of Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), enrolling 5819 cases who had received prescriptions of antidepressants between 2003 and 2006, and 23,276 (with ratio of 1:4) age, sex, and index date-matched controls. The hazard ratio (HR) of dementia among antidepressant users with depression was 2.42 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15–5.10), for those without depression was 4.05 (95% CI: 3.19–5.15), compared to antidepressant non-users respectively. Among the 6 classes of common antidepressants used in Taiwan, the adjusted HRs were 3.66 (95% CI: 2.62–5.09) for SSRIs, 4.73 (95% CI: 2.54–8.80) for SNRI, 3.26 (95% CI: 2.30–4.63) for TCAs, 6.62 (95% CI: 3.34–13.13) for TeCA, 4.94 (95% CI: 2.17–11.24) for MAOI, and 4.48 (95% CI: 3.13–6.40) for SARI. Furthermore, the multivariate analysis result showed that the adjusted HRs of cumulative defined daily doses (cDDDs) were 3.74 (95% CI: 2.91–4.82), 3.73 (95% CI: 2.39–5.80) and 5.22 (95% CI: 3.35–8.14) for those who had cDDDs of <90, 90–180 and >180 compared to those who had taken no antidepressant medication. This is a retrospective study based on secondary data, hence, we could not claim causality between antidepressant medication and dementia. However, a potential association between antidepressant and occurrence of dementia after controlling for the status of depression was observed. Lack of patients’ data about smoking status and body mass index in NHIRD, which are considered related to dementia, was also a limitation in this study. In this study, we concluded that antidepressant medication is a potential risk factor for dementia, independent from any effect of depression itself.

A Bayesian Approach to Identifying New Risk Factors for Dementia: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

Dementia is one of the most disabling and burdensome health conditions worldwide. In this study, we identified new potential risk factors for dementia from nationwide longitudinal population-based data by using Bayesian statistics.We first tested the consistency of the results obtained using Bayesian statistics with those obtained using classical frequentist probability for 4 recognized risk factors for dementia, namely severe head injury, depression, diabetes mellitus, and vascular diseases. Then, we used Bayesian statistics to verify 2 new potential risk factors for dementia, namely hearing loss and senile cataract, determined from the Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database.We included a total of 6546 (6.0%) patients diagnosed with dementia. We observed older age, female sex, and lower income as independent risk factors for dementia. Moreover, we verified the 4 recognized risk factors for dementia in the older Taiwanese population; their odds ratios (ORs) ranged from 3.469 to 1.207. Furthermore, we observed that hearing loss (OR = 1.577) and senile cataract (OR = 1.549) were associated with an increased risk of dementia.We found that the results obtained using Bayesian statistics for assessing risk factors for dementia, such as head injury, depression, DM, and vascular diseases, were consistent with those obtained using classical frequentist probability. Moreover, hearing loss and senile cataract were found to be potential risk factors for dementia in the older Taiwanese population. Bayesian statistics could help clinicians explore other potential risk factors for dementia and for developing appropriate treatment strategies for these patients.