Anaemia in the elderly has been linked to an increased risk of dementia

The study was carried out by scientists from Sweden and Italy. They followed 2,282 people aged 60 and over who did not have dementia at the start and assessed their condition for an average of 9.3 years. During that time, dementia developed in 362 participants.

Details

The analysis showed that people with anaemia had a 66% higher risk of dementia than participants without anaemia. In addition, anaemia was associated with higher levels of biomarkers that are associated with Alzheimer's disease, nerve cell damage and inflammation. These include p-tau217, NfL and GFAP.

The highest risk was seen in people who had anaemia combined with elevated levels of these markers. For example, when anaemia and high NfL were combined, the risk of dementia was 3.5 times higher. The authors suggest that anaemia may make the brain more vulnerable to neurodegenerative processes.

Why it matters

The work shows that anaemia may not only be a symptom of general ill-health, but also a clinically relevant factor in assessing dementia risk. This is particularly important because anaemia is among the conditions that can be detected and treated in many cases.

That said, the study does not prove that anaemia directly causes dementia. It shows a consistent link, but not a definitive causal chain. More long-term studies are needed to understand whether treating anaemia reduces the risk of cognitive decline.

Background

Anaemia occurs in about one in ten people over the age of 65. One possible explanation for the link to dementia is that when haemoglobin is low, the brain receives less oxygen, and this can increase cellular stress, vascular and neuronal damage.

Source

The study is published in JAMA Network Open in 2026: Anemia and Blood Biomarkers of Alzheimer Disease in Dementia Development.