Dementia

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Dementia Risk Factors

The greatest risk factor for dementia is advanced age. Inheriting the genes associated with Alzheimer's or Huntington's disease is a risk factor. Untreated infectious and metabolic disease and substance abuse also can lead to dementia.

Other risk factors include the following:

• Brain tumor
• Cardiovascular disease (e.g., high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis)
• Diabetes
• Head injury
• Kidney failure, liver disease, thyroid disease
• Vitamin deficiencies: B12, folic acid, B1 (thiamine)

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