Figure 4.

Possible association between osteoarthritis and increased risk for dementia. Frequent age-related comorbidities and physical inactivity in osteoarthritis patients increase risk for Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and cognitive impairment. Local inflammatory mediators can reach the brain through the blood-circulation and directly lead to accelerated beta-amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease. Local inflammatory mediators could accelerate vascular alteration and lead to vascular dementia.