14 Ways You Can Help Prevent Dementia

Beyond the Lancet Commission: A Comprehensive Approach to Dementia Prevention

The 2024 update of the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention represents significant progress in our understanding of improving and maintaining brain health across the lifespan. Their comprehensive analysis, confirming that 14 modifiable lifestyle factors could prevent or delay nearly half of all dementia cases worldwide, provides unprecedented hope for patients, families, and healthcare providers who need it most.

At Emory Goizueta Brain Health Institute, we strongly endorse these evidence-based recommendations for managing modifiable risk factors.

Move More, Sit Less

Physical activity deserves special recognition as perhaps the most powerful single intervention for improving and maintaining brain health. The recommendation of 150 minutes weekly isn't just about cardiovascular fitness. Exercise increases brain volume and reduces systemic inflammation that damages brain tissue. Spending more time moving and less time sitting will go a long way in reducing dementia risk.

Stay Cognitively and Socially Engaged

The Commission's emphasis on education and cognitive stimulation speaks to the importance of rich learning experiences throughout life. Challenging the brain—through learning new skills, solving puzzles, or engaging in complex reading—builds cognitive reserve that can prevent or delay dementia. Equally critical is social engagement. Isolation has negative impacts on mood and accelerates cognitive decline through measurable changes in brain structure and function. Staying connected with family, friends, and community through activities that promote meaning and purpose reduces dementia risk.

Protect Your Heart, Protect Your Brain

The Commission identifies the cardiovascular-cognitive connection through hypertension, diabetes, and LDL cholesterol, and healthy weight management. Our clinical protocols treat these as urgent brain health issues, not just heart concerns. We know education is an important part of risk reduction. If patients understand that uncontrolled blood pressure damages the tiny vessels feeding their brain, they may be more motivated to comply with treatment. Similarly, diabetes management becomes more compelling when framed as dementia prevention rather than just blood sugar control.

The Commission's inclusion of smoking cessation and alcohol moderation reflects mounting evidence about their neurotoxic effects. It is important to know that quitting smoking at age 65 still provides brain protection—it's never too late for these interventions to matter.

Reduce Exposure to Air Pollution

The Commission's attention to air pollution reflects an emerging understanding of how environmental factors shape brain health. Exposure to air pollution increases inflammation and is linked with conditions that increase dementia risk. Taking steps to reduce exposure helps protect the brain.

Maintain Sensory Functions

Our senses keep our brains engaged and promote participation. Patients who address hearing loss early—through hearing aids or environmental modifications—maintain better cognitive function over time. Similarly, vision correction isn't just about safety; it reduces the cognitive load required for daily activities, preserving mental resources for higher-order thinking.

Prevent Head Injuries and Manage Mood

Head injury prevention and depression management represent two areas where early intervention pays enormous dividends. Even mild traumatic brain injuries can have lasting effects, making helmet use and fall prevention crucial. Depression, meanwhile, isn't just a risk factor—it may be an early symptom of neurodegeneration, making prompt treatment essential.

Additional Recommendations: Sleep and Nutrition

While the Lancet Commission appropriately identifies sleep as a modifiable risk factor, our institute's research underscores the need for more comprehensive sleep hygiene protocols. Poor sleep doesn't just correlate with cognitive decline—it actively impairs the brain's ability to clear toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease. We recommend not only consistent sleep schedules and comfortable environments, but also proactive medical intervention when sleep disorders are suspected.

Similarly, while dietary recommendations appear in the Lancet report, our clinical protocols emphasize that what’s good for the heart is good for the brain. We endorse the MIND diet, which is short for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. The MIND diet combines elements of the Mediterranean diet, like whole grains, leafy greens, and healthy fats, and elements of the DASH diet, like reducing salt and processed foods, to lower blood pressure.

Multiplying Effects of Risk Reduction

What makes the Lancet Commission's work so compelling is how these 14 modifiable risk factors interconnect. Physical activity improves sleep quality, social engagement reduces depression, and cardiovascular health enhances cognitive function—creating positive feedback loops that amplify protective effects.

The convergence of rigorous research and practical application gives us genuine optimism about preventing this devastating disease. Every conversation with a primary care provider, every lifestyle modification, every proactive step helps realize the promise of a future where dementia is preventable rather than inevitable.

Make a plan for reducing your risk of dementia. Start as soon as you can and remember it’s never too late!