Brain health is a lifelong project |
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking dementia risk is something to address in your 60s. A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) challenges that assumption. Brain health, it argues, is shaped from infancy by childhood experiences, gut health, air quality, and chronic stress, alongside more familiar factors like blood pressure, and sleep.
The scope of 10 items in the list is broader than that of most brain-health frameworks.
“Brain health is not determined only by age or genetics,” said Dung Trinh, MD, of MemorialCare Medical Group. “It is shaped across the entire life span by a combination of physical health, mental health, sleep, lifestyle, social support, environment, and access to care.”
The practical entry point is lower than the full list might suggest. “For many people, reading about all the things that can lower dementia risk feels overwhelming,” said Melinda Patterson, PsyD, of the University of Rochester. She advises picking one or two changes and building from there. “It's never too early, and it’s never too late, to start protecting your brain.”
For the complete list of risk factors and why the AHA frames brain health as a public health challenge, jump to “Brain health: AHA outlines 10 factors that shape resilience as we age.”
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