Memory problems are often seen as a natural part of growing older, but scientists believe the foundations of brain health are laid decades before the first symptoms ever appear.
Increasingly, researchers are focusing on middle age, arguing that the choices people make long before retirement may have a lasting impact on cognitive health.
That idea is supported by new research from NYU Langone Health, published in Neurology Open Access and reported by Medical News Today.
The study found that avoiding smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure during midlife was associated with significantly longer dementia-free survival.
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Three key risks
Researchers analysed health data from 12,409 adults who participated in the long-running Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Participants were followed for more than 26 years, allowing scientists to examine how midlife health influenced brain health later in life.
People without any of the three vascular risk factors experienced the longest period without dementia. In contrast, those with smoking, diabetes and hypertension were almost three times more likely to develop the condition and, on average, spent up to 13 fewer years living without dementia.
More than genetics
The researchers emphasise that dementia is influenced by far more than age and inherited genes. While those factors cannot be changed, many lifestyle and health conditions may also contribute to long-term cognitive decline.
Other potentially modifiable risk factors include:
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- Physical inactivity
- High cholesterol
- Obesity
- Hearing loss
- Depression
- Social isolation
Why it matters
The findings add to growing evidence linking cardiovascular health and brain health. Experts believe protecting blood vessels through healthy habits during middle age may help delay dementia, even if it cannot prevent the disease entirely.
The researchers stress that the study does not prove cause and effect, but it highlights the importance of preventing vascular disease as early as possible to support healthy ageing and preserve cognitive function.
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