Hidden Brain Vessel Protein Tied to Quadrupled Dementia Risk
A Medicare study of about 1.9 million older adults (2016–2022) found cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA)—amyloid buildup in brain vessels—nearly quadruples five‑year dementia risk, with or without prior stroke. CAA alone raised dementia risk to ~4.3× and stroke alone to ~2.4×; having both CAA and stroke increased risk to ~4.5×. The results imply non-stroke mechanisms drive cognitive decline in CAA and underscore the need for early cognitive screening after diagnosis. Limitations include reliance on claims data and lack of imaging, with findings reported as an ASA conference abstract rather than a peer‑reviewed study.