A new study of millions of people showns positive relationships between dementia and brains injuries.
The study of 2.8 million people found those who had one or more traumatic brain injuries were 24% more likely to get dementia than those who had not.
Those who had the injuries in their early 20s, were 63% more likely to get the condition at some point in their life.
Dementia, a category of brain diseases that includes Alzheimer's, affects some 47 million people worldwide - a number expected to double in the next 20 years.
The brain injuries include those caused by falls, motor vehicle accidents, and assaults - and subsequent dementia, but evidence has been mixed.
Sustaining the injury at a younger age appeared to further increase the risk of getting the condition, the research found.
Those who suffered a TBI in their 30s were 37% more likely to develop dementia later in life, while those who had the injury in their 50s were only 2% more likely to get the condition.
Jesse Fann, professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, said: "Our analysis raises some very important issues, in particular that efforts to prevent traumatic brain injury, especially in younger people, may be inadequate considering the huge and growing burden of dementia and the prevalence of TBI worldwide."
The study based on brain injuries that were treated in hospital but the data did not break down what the causes were.
Although the research does not suggest that everyone who suffers a traumatic brain injury will go on to develop dementia in later life,but it is likely.
" The study was limited by the fact it was taken from one country with a largely similar ethnic population, so the findings cannot be generalised to all ethnic groups in other countries,"-Prof Fann said.
What is dementia?
A progressive decline in cognitive function of the brain due to damages or diseases,but not as a result of normal aging .Area usually affected include the memory, attention, judgement, language and ability to solve problems.
The study of 2.8 million people found those who had one or more traumatic brain injuries were 24% more likely to get dementia than those who had not.
Dementia, a category of brain diseases that includes Alzheimer's, affects some 47 million people worldwide - a number expected to double in the next 20 years.
The brain injuries include those caused by falls, motor vehicle accidents, and assaults - and subsequent dementia, but evidence has been mixed.
Sustaining the injury at a younger age appeared to further increase the risk of getting the condition, the research found.
Those who suffered a TBI in their 30s were 37% more likely to develop dementia later in life, while those who had the injury in their 50s were only 2% more likely to get the condition.
Jesse Fann, professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, said: "Our analysis raises some very important issues, in particular that efforts to prevent traumatic brain injury, especially in younger people, may be inadequate considering the huge and growing burden of dementia and the prevalence of TBI worldwide."
The study based on brain injuries that were treated in hospital but the data did not break down what the causes were.
Although the research does not suggest that everyone who suffers a traumatic brain injury will go on to develop dementia in later life,but it is likely.
" The study was limited by the fact it was taken from one country with a largely similar ethnic population, so the findings cannot be generalised to all ethnic groups in other countries,"-Prof Fann said.
What is dementia?
A progressive decline in cognitive function of the brain due to damages or diseases,but not as a result of normal aging .Area usually affected include the memory, attention, judgement, language and ability to solve problems.
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