A new study published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry says that migraine can be a risk factor for dementia and even Alzheimer’s disease.
According to the researchers, older women with dementia had a higher chance of suffering from migraine in their entire life than those without dementia.
Migraines can be described as headaches so powerful that cause a person to feel their head is splitting. These throbbing headaches are usually also accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. People of all ages can be affected by it. According to a global survey, they affect at least one in seven people.
Dementia, on the other hand, is a medical condition that is characterized by declining memory, language problems, problem-solving and a decline in other cognitive abilities. Alzheimer's is a form of dementia. It is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes problems with one’s memory, cognition and behaviour, often to the point of interfering with daily life.
Researchers think this link between the two can be explained by the impeding lifestyle people with migraine attacks have. For example, the pain caused by a migraine causes a person from refraining from being active, eating healthier or getting enough sleep. An unhealthy lifestyle is also a major risk factor for dementia.
“Identifying a midlife risk factor, such as migraines, enables earlier detection of at-risk individuals,” she said. “And identifying a link to migraines provides us with a rationale to guide new strategies to prevent Alzheimer’s disease because so far, we don’t yet have any way to cure Alzheimer’s and only know that prevention is key.”
