Alcohol consumption, smog and diabetes are the three biggest risk factors for the development of dementia, UPI reported, citing a new study by Oxford University scientists.

The experts analyzed 40,000 brain scans of people aged between 44 and 82, with the data taken from the UK Biobank. 161 risk factors were examined, including blood pressure, smoking, alcohol use, diet and weight. They were divided into 15 categories.

Three risk factors for developing dementia stand out above all others: diagnosed diabetes, frequent alcohol consumption, and breathing dirty air containing relatively high concentrations of nitric oxide.

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"What makes the study special is that we examined the contribution of each risk factor. We looked at all of them together to assess the resulting degeneration of this particular weak spot in the brain," study co-author Anderson Winkler, a professor at the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley, said in a press release.

"We know that in the aging process certain areas of the brain degenerate earlier, and with this new study we have shown that these specific areas are most vulnerable to diabetes, traffic-related air pollution and alcohol, among all common risk factors for dementia," explained Guenelle Duo, lead author of the study.

Duo added that smog is "increasingly becoming a major factor" in dementia and cannot be controlled by humans. In order to prevent exposure to smog, it is important to choose to live in places where it is not present in large amounts or at all.

The frequency of alcohol use has a major impact on the potential impact on dementia, and those who drink alcohol more often are more vulnerable to the disease.

Type 2 diabetes is another controllable factor that scientists believe can be overcome through dietary changes and exercise. People who are genetically predisposed to Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease or schizophrenia are also more vulnerable to dementia.

The researchers caution that the study is observational and only shows an association between established risk factors and dementia. Further research is needed, they note.

The results of the study were published in the journal Nature Communications.

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