Head injuries 'do not lead to Alzheimer's or dementia'

New research has dismissed the recent link between head injuries and the development of Alzheimer's or dementia in later life.

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have published a report stating that they can find no correlation between traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in early life and diagnosis of dementia later on.

Dr Kristen Dams-O'Connor, assistant professor of rehabilitation medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine, admitted that research and reports into the disease often produce varied, contrasting results.

However, she said: "The findings from this study do not support the commonly held belief that TBI leads to dementia."

As part of the study, the team also looked at how TBIs affect people in older life. They found a link between injuries in people over the age of 65 and increased mortality, discovering a high chance of re-injury. Dr Dams-O'Connor suggests that "effective strategies" are required to prevent re-injuries.