Anxiety linked to early Alzheimer’s

PEOPLE who suffer from anxiety could develop Alzheimer’s three years earlier than others, a study revealed.

And those with depression can have symptoms two years earlier.

Researchers discovered the more mental health diagnoses a person had, the earlier they would show dementia symptoms.

Those with one disorder developed symptoms about one and a half years before those with no psychiatric disorders, while those with two conditions showed symptoms around three and a third years earlier. For those with three or more psychiatric disorders, the prognosis was even more stark.

The study showed they tended to develop symptoms around seven years and four months before those with no such conditions.

Study author Dr Zachary Miller, of the University of California, San Francisco, said: “More research is needed to understand the impact of psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety on the development of Alzheimer’s disease and whether treatment and management could help prevent or delay the onset of dementia for people who are susceptible to it.

“Certainly this isn’t to say that people with depression and anxiety will necessarily develop Alzheimer’s disease.”

The researchers found those with depression were more likely to also have an autoimmune disease and those with anxiety more likely to have a history of seizures.

While the link has not been scientifically explored, scientists believe they might be a sign of other issues in the brain, which could offer new ideas on how to tackle Alzheimer’s.

The study, carried out by the American Academy of Neurology, analysed data on 1,500 people with Alzheimer’s and a mental health problem. Forty-three per cent had a history of depression, 32 per cent had anxiety, 1.2 per cent bipolar disorder, one per cent post-traumatic stress disorder and 0.4 per cent schizophrenia.