There's a link between having type AB blood and developing thinking difficulties and memory loss later in life.

This was the conclusion of a new study published in the journal Neurology. Lead author Dr. Mary Cushman of the University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington and her team of researchers built their study around previous research which revealed that blood type may influence heart disease.

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Around 4 percent of the population in America have AB blood.

Dr. Cushman's three-year study involved around 30,000 individuals in the United States aged 45 and above.

Of the participants, 495 had developed memory loss or some level of cognitive impairment. These individuals were compared with 587 individuals who had no thinking or memory issues.

Of the 495, six percent had AB blood compared to the four percent found in the general population.

The findings support previous studies which found that a certain blood group, namely O, has a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which consequently allows the brain to be protected.

"Our study looks at blood type and risk of cognitive impairment, but several studies have shown that factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes increase the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia," Dr. Cushman shared.

Although Dr. Cushman stated that blood type seems to be related to other vascular conditions, which in turn relates to brain health, more research is needed to reap definite results and conclusions.

Dr. Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said it's too early to make conclusions about blood type's relation to dementia. Dr. Ridley was not part of the study.

Dr. Terence Quinn, a clinical lecturer in stroke and geriatric medicine at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, said that whether or not there is a link between blood type and dementia, people of all blood types should look into making lifestyle changes to avoid the condition.

These changes include exercising more and stimulating the brain through mental activities.