UCL Division of Psychiatry researchers found that adverse experiences in adulthood, particularly those linked to economic hardship, show a clear cumulative association with increased dementia risk. Childhood abuse emerged as the only early-life factor strongly associated with a higher likelihood of dementia, increasing the risk by 74%.
Analysing data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, the study looked at adversity across exposure to war/violence, economic hardship, illness and accidents, household challenges and abuse.
The article concluded that the timing and nature of the experience plays a greater role in increasing the risk of dementia, rather than the number of adversities someone has faced.
Lead author, Katherine Taylor, said: “Our findings show that both the timing and type of adversity influence dementia risk. Looking at these patterns in a more nuanced way helps us to better understand how dementia risk develops over time, and could help inform future approaches to prevention.”
The findings underscore the importance of early intervention, support for families, poverty reduction, and safeguarding adults facing financial or social hardship. A better understanding of the social roots of risk could prove critical in helping communities support healthier ageing and wider dementia prevention efforts.