Lung Disease in Middle Age May Be a Risk Factor for Dementia Later in Life

A study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found middle-aged adults with lung disease may have a higher risk of developing dementia or cognitive impairment later in life, reports EurekAlert . The researchers noted both restrictive and obstructive lung diseases were associated with dementia, including Alzheimer's and mild cognitive impairment. This connection was stronger for restrictive lung diseases, like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis, than it was for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The team analyzed data from more than 14,000 participants who received spirometry and were asked about their lung health. The cohort was followed for 23 years on average when they were evaluated for dementia or cognitive impairment, which occurred in 1,407 cases. In comparison to those without lung disease, the odds of dementia or mild cognitive impairment were 58 percent higher among those with restrictive lung disease and 33 percent higher among those with obstructive lung disease. Furthermore, low results on forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were linked to dementia; FEV1 is the amount of air a person can forcefully exhale in one second, while FVC is a measurement of lung size. Possible explanations include lung disease's production of low blood oxygen levels, which in turn may have induced inflammation, stress, and damage to the brain's blood vessels.