On Sept. 17, 2024, in landmark research, scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) reported the largest-ever genome-wide association study of dementia from all causes, revealing an overlap of genetic risks including neurodegeneration, vascular factors and cerebral small-vessel disease.

According to the study, Alzheimer’s disease traditionally is considered the most common dementia subtype, followed by vascular dementia. The two conditions are clinically distinct, however. The study concluded that the results should be validated in additional datasets including non-European individuals.