Healthy lifestyle against brain aging

Lifestyle is more important than age in assessing dementia risks

Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+

As part of a new large-scale study involving 22 thousand people of all ages, starting from the age of 18, scientists have identified eight negative lifestyle factors that reduce cognitive abilities at any age. At the same time, each of these factors turned out to be equivalent to about three years of brain aging. It is lifestyle, not age, that turned out to be the key factor in determining the risks of dementia, and its correction can be an excellent prevention of an incurable disease.

It is generally believed that the leading risk factor for dementia is old age. In a new paper, scientists from the Rotman Research Institute have shown that a person's lifestyle is more important than his age to determine the level of cognitive functions.

Since most dementia studies involve middle-aged and older participants, the scientists decided to invite volunteers from the age of 18. This is one of the first papers looking at the risk factors for dementia throughout life. The findings, described in the Baycrest study reveals whether you're 18 or 80, lifestyle may be more important than age in determining dementia risk, are based on an analysis of data from more than 22 thousand people.

It turned out that negative lifestyle factors reduced cognitive abilities of people at any age.

Prevalence of risk factors in three age groups.

Cognitive decline was influenced by eight criteria: low level of education, alcohol and substance abuse, smoking, as well as hearing loss, hypertension, diabetes and depression. Each factor was equivalent to three years of brain aging.

In other words, people without the mentioned risk factors have the same brain function as most people who are 10-20 years younger than them.

The authors hope that the results of the study will inspire people to provide themselves with the necessary prevention of dementia. For example, strictly follow the recommendations for diabetes to control the disease, treat hearing disorders, quit smoking, etc. "Risk factors can and should be eliminated and it should be done as early as possible," concluded the author of the work Nicole Anderson.

Article by LaPlume et al. The adverse effect of modifiable dementia risk factors on cognition amplifies across the adult lifespan is published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring – VM.

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