Dementia is a devastating disease that impacts one in 10 older Americans. But while many people want to avoid developing dementia, the exact causes of the condition have remained largely a mystery. Now, new research has found one potential risk factor for developing dementia: falls. That’s the major takeaway from a study published in JAMA Network Open in September. But what do falls have to do with dementia, and what can older adults do to lower their risk? Here’s the deal, according to neurologists.
For the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 2 million older adults who had sustained a traumatic injury. The researchers discovered that more than 10 percent of those who had injuries were diagnosed with some type of dementia in the year after their fall. To read the full story.