Lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of dementia by maintaining brain plasticity – but the time to act is now

Walk 10,000 steps a day, limit alcohol, sleep better at night, be socially dynamic – we are told that such changes can prevent up to 40 percent of dementia cases worldwide.

Considering that dementia is still one of the most feared diseasesWhy don’t we push our doctors and governments to support these lifestyle changes through modern programs and policy initiatives?

The truth is more sophisticated. We know that making lifestyle changes is difficult. Ask anyone who has tried to keep their Recent Year’s resolution to go to the gym three times a week. It can be doubly difficult when the changes we need to make now won’t pay off for years or even decades, and we don’t really understand why they work.

Taking control of your health

Anyone who has watched a loved one living with dementiaHaving faced the smaller and larger indignities and deteriorations that ultimately deprive them of the ability to eat, communicate, and remember, they know that this is a devastating disease.

They are there several new drugs are hitting the market for Alzheimer’s disease (one of the most common forms of dementia). However, they are still far from a cure and are currently only effective in patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

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Read more: Lecanemab: Experimental drug offers a glimmer of hope for Alzheimer’s disease

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So lifestyle changes may be our best hope for delaying dementia or preventing it altogether. Actor Chris Hemsworth knows this. He watched his grandfather live with Alzheimer’s and change his lifestyle when he learned he had two copies of the APOE4 gene. This gene is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, and having two copies of the gene significantly increases the risk of developing the same disease.

Research has identified Modifiable risk factors which contribute to an increased risk of dementia:

• lack of physical activity
• excessive alcohol consumption
• less sleep
• social isolation
• hearing loss
• less cognitive engagement
• bad diet
• hypertension
• obesity
• diabetes
• traumatic brain injury
• smoking
• depression
• air pollution

Our knowledge of the biological mechanisms of these risk factors is varied, with some being better understood than others.

But there are many things we know for sure — and here’s what you should know, too.

Cognitive reserve and neuroplasticity

Cognitive reserve is the brain’s ability to resist damage or neurodegenerative disease. If there is a loss of tissue or function in one part of the brain, other brain cells (neurons) work harder to compensate. Theoretically, this means that lifelong experiences and activities create a dam against the damage caused by disease and aging of the brain.

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s amazing ability to adapt, learn, and reorganize, creating modern pathways or reprogramming existing ones to recover from damage. The key takeaway is that neuroplasticity can occur at any time and age, meaning that learning and activity should continue throughout life.

Many of the risk factors for dementia likely work in combination, so a holistic approach to lifestyle is key. For example, studies have shown that exercise, cognitive and social activity stimulate the brain and maintain its plasticity by creating modern neural connections and building cognitive reserves.

This mechanism is the result of a combination of several factors: increased oxygen and blood flow to the brain, stimulation of growth factors that keep neurons robust, and reduced inflammation.

The reverse is also true. Impoverished sleep, diet, social isolation, and untreated depression are all linked to reduced cognitive reserve.

The same logic applies to hearing loss, a key risk factor for dementia. As a person’s hearing deteriorates, it can become arduous to socialize with others, leading to a loss of sensory input. the brain has to work harder to compensate, potentially depleting cognitive reserves, which may reduce the body’s resistance to dementia.

The role of stress and inflammation

Stress and inflammation responses are the body’s sophisticated response to trauma. Inflammation is an critical component of the body’s immune system, helping to defend itself against threats and repair tissue damage. While short-term inflammation is a natural and robust response, chronic or long-term inflammation disrupts normal function and causes damage to brain cells.

For example, one of the common features of dementia and untreated depression is inflammatory processLong-term exposure to stress hormones can lead to chronic inflammation. High blood pressure, physical inactivity, smoking, and air pollution are also linked to chronic inflammation and stress, which can damage blood vessels and neurons in the brain.

In a modern area of ​​research that is still being explored, social isolation It was also related to inflammationAs we have learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, the brain is hardwired to respond to social engagement as a means of building connection and emotional support, especially in times of stress.

Studies have shown that more than one in three Canadians feel isolated, lack of social contact and loneliness can trigger the body’s stress response and neuroendocrine changes, and long-term exposure to this inflammatory process can damage the brain.

Similar pathways in many diseases

Several of these risk factors and their biological pathways intersect many chronic diseases. Accumulating evidence decades of research supports the concept of “what is good for the heart is good for the head.”

This means that making these lifestyle changes not only reduces the risk of dementia, but also the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems. This highlights the sophisticated nature of dementia, but also offers a unified strategy for dealing with the many health problems that can come with age.

It’s never too overdue

It’s never too overdue to change. The human brain and body have an extraordinary capacity for adaptation and resilience throughout life.

While there are benefits to being physically and socially dynamic at any age, some studies show that the payout from these profits may be higher After the age of 40, when the body’s metabolism slows down, risk factors boost and cognitive reserve becomes even more critical to lend a hand protect against decline in cognitive functions.

If changing your lifestyle means you can watch your child grow into adulthood, walk 20 blocks to your favorite coffee shop every day, and still live in your own home, then it may be worth it to walk 10,000 steps a day, change your diet, and maintain a sturdy network of friends. In the worst case, you will be healthier and more independent with or without dementia. In the best case, you may avoid dementia and other grave diseases altogether and continue to live the best life possible.