Anxiety, Amyloid Have a ‘Double Whammy’ for Dementia

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Anxiety, Amyloid Have a ‘Double Whammy’ for Dementia

Anxiety may contribute to the negative impact of amyloid-beta (Aβ) on cognitive function, new research suggests.

A new study showed that healthy older adults with elevated levels of Aβ and symptoms of anxiety had a greater decrease in various cognitive functions, including verbal memory and language, over time than their counterparts without anxiety symptoms.

Having both high anxiety and an elevated Aβ level is akin to having a “double whammy” in terms of the impact on cognition, lead author Robert H. Pietrzak, PhD, Clinical Neurosciences Division, Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut, and assistant professor of psychiatry, Yale University, told Medscape Medical News.

The results suggest that reducing anxiety in patients with elevated Aβ may delay or slow decline in various cognitive domains.

The good news, said Dr Pietrzak, is that anxiety can be effectively treated.

The study was published online January 28 in JAMA Psychiatry.

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