Researchers at Rush University Medical Center found particles from total joint replacements traveled to the brain in some patients but no evidence of cognitive decline related to their presence.
The June 2026 study, published in Acta BioMaterialia, surveyed data from 701 deceased participants in the Memory and Aging Project. Of those, 229 had a total hip, knee or shoulder replacement, while 472 had no total joint replacement
Researchers also found an association between cobalt, a key element in most implants, and greater Alzheimer’s disease pathology in the brain, yet “there was no correlation with cognitive decline,” according to the study.
Among participants with joint replacements, 146 had hip replacements and 83 had knee or shoulder replacements. Participants had no dementia at the beginning of the study and were followed annually using a 19-test cognitive assessment battery.
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