Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in older adults are associated with a 69 per cent higher risk of developing dementia within five years, new research has found.
The study analysed data from more than 260,000 adults aged 65 and older between April 2004 and March 2020, following them until dementia diagnosis, March 2021, or death.
It also found that TBI was linked to greater use of home care services and higher rates of admission to long-term care facilities.
Dr Yu Qing Huang, ICES PhD student, and Dr Jennifer Watt, associate professor and ICES scientist, are both geriatricians at St Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health, and affiliated with the University of Toronto.
The researchers said: “One of the most common reasons for TBI in older adulthood is sustaining a fall, which is often preventable.
“By targeting fall-related TBIs, we can potentially reduce TBI-associated dementia in this population.”
Researchers from St Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health, and the University of Toronto found that beyond five years, TBI was associated with a 56 per cent increased risk of dementia.
Older age and female sex were both linked to higher dementia risk, with around one in three people aged 85 and older predicted to develop the condition after TBI.
People from low-income neighbourhoods also faced greater risk than those in higher-income areas.
More than half of TBIs in older adults result from falls, with about one million Canadians aged 65 and above expected to experience a TBI in their lifetime.
The study found that people with TBI required more days of publicly funded home care – 87 days compared with 84 among those without TBI.
Those living in smaller communities, low-income regions, and areas with less ethnic diversity were more likely to be admitted to long-term care.
The authors wrote: “Our findings suggest that, to better align limited health resources with population needs, specialised programmes such as community-based dementia prevention and support services should be prioritised for female older adults aged 75 and above, particularly in smaller, low-income and low-diversity areas.”
The researchers said the findings could help clinicians and families understand the long-term effects of TBI.
They said: “Although TBI has been studied as a risk factor for dementia in adulthood, our findings emphasise its significant association with an increased rate of incident dementia, even when it is sustained in late life, and how this risk changes over time.
“This information can assist clinicians in guiding older patients and their families to better understand long-term risks.”
