PhD defence T.O.E. (Tosca) de Crom

Brief summary of the doctoral thesis:

With the projected increase in population ageing and growth, the prevalence of dementia is expected to increase rapidly in the coming years. Accordingly, the already enormous burden of dementia on patients, their family and society will increase further. This emphasizes the urgent need to identify strategies to reduce the prevalence of dementia. The overall aim of this thesis was therefore to evaluate the role of lifestyle and environmental factors in the risk of dementia, with the ultimate goal to enhance our understanding in opportunities to reduce or prevent dementia. More specifically, I first focused on the role of nutrition, through examining the impact of nitrate consumption and specific dietary patterns on the risk of developing dementia. Next, I explored the association between air pollution and the risk of dementia and cognitive decline. Subsequently, I investigated potential mechanisms through which air pollution influences health. Last, I have delved into the role of body composition in the risk of dementia.