Impact of Modifiable Risk Factors on Dementia
Recent research from Sweden’s Lund University indicates that nearly 50% of dementia cases may be linked to modifiable risk factors. These findings highlight how lifestyle habits and chronic health conditions can harm the brain over time. Smoking, high blood pressure, heart disease, and elevated blood lipids are especially associated with brain damage characteristic of vascular dementia. By managing these factors, individuals might delay various forms of brain deterioration, even without initial signs of cognitive decline.
Study Insights
Dementia includes several disorders with diverse causes. Consequently, risk factors often vary based on the specific diagnosis. Lund University researchers aimed to better understand how particular risks affect Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, the two most common dementia forms. They tracked about 500 participants with an average age of 65 over four years. None showed cognitive impairment at the study’s start.
The researchers observed changes in the brain’s white matter, which is often affected in vascular dementia, as well as levels of amyloid beta and tau—proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Many modifiable risks were linked to blood vessel damage and faster white matter alterations. The study noted potential connections between risk factors and Alzheimer’s proteins: diabetes increased amyloid beta buildup, while a lower body mass index sped up tau accumulation. Although these results require more research, addressing lifestyle risks could help mitigate various brain damage types simultaneously.
Comments from Experts
Sebastian Palmqvist, a study author and senior neurology lecturer at Lund University, observed that prior research often overlooked dementia’s distinct pathologies. “This means that we have had limited knowledge of how individual risk factors affect the underlying disease mechanisms in the brain,” Palmqvist stated. He emphasized the importance of focusing on vascular and metabolic risk factors to reduce the combined effects of concurrent brain changes.
Joanna LaFleur, a dementia care expert, underscored the study’s practical implications during her discussion with Newsweek. “This study is a reminder that while we can’t change our age or our genetics, we can influence many of the things that affect brain health,” she explained. “That’s empowering, because it reminds us, we are not completely powerless.” LaFleur highlighted the connection between heart and brain health, emphasizing how high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease impact both.
Actionable Steps for Brain Health
- Manage Blood Pressure and Cholesterol: Maintain cardiovascular health to support cerebral blood vessels.
- Quit Smoking: Protect cerebral blood vessels by eliminating tobacco use.
- Prioritize Physical Activity: Regular exercise helps address cardiovascular and metabolic risks.
- Monitor Metabolic Health: Control blood sugar levels and foster a healthy lifestyle to decrease diabetes-related risks.
- Address Hearing Loss and Lifestyle Factors: Manage hearing loss and moderate alcohol consumption to support cognitive wellness.
Reference: Palmqvist, S., et al. (2026). Associations of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors with longitudinal white matter hyperintensities, amyloid-β and tau – a prospective cohort study. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease.