1. In this retrospective cohort study, patients with high polygenic risk scores and unhealthy lifestyle factors were more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than patients with low polygenic risk scores or healthy lifestyle factors.
2. Polygenic risk scores and lifestyle factors independently influenced dementia risk.
Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good)
Study Rundown: The etiology of dementia is complex and is influenced by both genetic risk and environment. Still, it is unclear whether there is an interaction between genetic risk and lifestyle factors or if both of these processes influence dementia risk independently from the other. In this large retrospective cohort, patients with high polygenic risk scores and unhealthy lifestyle factors were more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than patients with low polygenic risk scores or healthy lifestyle factors. These two factors did not interact, however, as polygenic risk scores and lifestyle factors separately influenced dementia risk.
Given the large cohort, it is very likely that for this study population dementia risk is independently influenced by polygenic risk scores and lifestyle. However, it is important to note that this study excluded those without European Ancestry, so it is unclear if these results generalize to other populations, especially those with higher genetic risk for hypertension and cardiovascular disease. In addition, the mean age of participants was relatively young, and it is unclear if gene by lifestyle interactions would be more apparent for an older patient population.
Click to read the study in JAMA
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