Researchers from the University of Waterloo and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Science conducted a new study with funding from the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Initiative (ONDRI).
They used provincial health databases to analyze data from more than five million Ontario residents aged 40 to 85 years.
Over 14 years, they examined the associations between pairs of particularly common neurological conditionsยญยsuch as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or strokeยand psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety.
They explored the link between these conditions in both directions, including investigating how the experience of previous stroke related to future risk of dementia and vice versa.
In almost all cases, researchers found that the rate of developing a second condition increased. For example, individuals with prior Parkinson’s disease had four times the rate of developing dementia, while those with prior stroke had more than double the rate of developing dementia.
They also showed that women and men differed in their risk for developing a later condition after experiencing an earlier one. For example, comparing men and women who experienced an earlier stroke, women were more likely than their male counterparts to develop dementia later.
Researchers hope their work can inform not just the care that individuals with these conditions receive directly, but also the planning of the health system as a whole.
This provides information for those designing medical, educational programs to ensure healthcare providers are informed of and equipped to address these common comorbidities.
Source: Medindia
