ROCHESTER, Minn., Oct. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say they have found a new link between celiac disease, a digestive condition triggered by consumption of gluten, and dementia.
"There has been very little known about this connection between celiac disease and cognitive decline until now," said Dr. Keith Josephs, a Mayo Clinic neurologist and study investigator. "This is the largest case series to date of patients demonstrating cognitive decline within two years of the onset of celiac disease symptom onset or worsening."
Dr. Joseph Murray, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and study investigator, said there has been a fair amount written about celiac disease and neurological issues, such as peripheral neuropathy or balance problems. "But this degree of brain problem -- the cognitive decline we've found here -- has not been recognized before," said Murray. "I was not expecting there would be so many celiac disease patients with cognitive decline."
The next step in the research will be to investigate the measure and nature of the connection between the two conditions.
The research appears in the October issue of Archives of Neurology.
