Neurologist shares five ways to protect your brain health – and reduce likelihood of developing dementia
Getting your blood pressure checked, staying up to date with vaccines and looking after your eyes and ears could be some of the most important things you can do to ward off dementia, according to a top neurologist.
Experts have long stressed that dementia is not an inevitable part of aging, and that around 50 per cent of cases could be prevented with simple lifestyle changes.
In a new consensus published earlier this year, experts set out 56 evidence-based recommendations aimed at slashing dementia risk – from tackling hearing loss, high blood pressure and social isolation to improving public health messaging.
The review expanded on findings from the 2024 Lancet commission which identified 14 modifiable risk factors for dementia – which experts say are still not being tackled seriously enough at a population level.
Daily Mail asked Dr Faye Begeti, a neurologist at Oxford University Hospitals, what appointments people should be making to help look after their brain health and delay the onset of the devastating memory-robbing disease.
While dementia is most commonly diagnosed in later life, ‘things have been happening in the brain for at least a decade before symptom onset’, she explains.
Part of the fear many people express is that dementia affects people at random, with little warning.
But, Dr Begeti says some of the biggest risk factors are actually within our control.
Dr Begeti shared five appointments that can help preserve brain health, delaying the onset of dementia (file photo)
Get your blood pressure checked
Getting on top of your high blood pressure may be one of the easiest ways to ward off or at the very lease delay onset, Dr Begeti says.
Research has shown that people who successfully reduce their high blood pressure have a 15 per cent lower risk of developing dementia.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is associated with an increased risk of both stroke and vascular dementia in particular – whereby the narrowing of arteries restricts blood flow to the brain.
Everyone experiences dementia differently. Use this checklist to help you make a note of your symptoms before you talk to your GP.
In other cases, the increase pressure causes the artery walls to weaken, leaking blood into the brain.
This can result in micro-hemorrhages, which often go unnoticed until it’s too late.
‘That is why everyone should be monitoring their blood pressure the age of 30,’ the neurologist said.
‘Once this damage builds up, there is not much we can do to delay symptom onset.
Studies have shown that people who had high blood pressure in mid-life were more likely to develop dementia
‘High blood pressure is known as a silent killer for a reason. It doesn’t cause you any symptoms until it does.’
The neurologist also advises people to measure their blood pressure at home, to avoid white coat syndrome – where the anxiety of being at the doctor’s can cause blood pressure levels to rise.
‘This was allow a better overall picture of your cardiovascular health and help doctors address any concerns through a combination of medication and lifestyle changes – such as cutting back on alcohol and quitting smoking,’ she added.
But the first thing you need to know is your numbers. If your blood pressure is consistently above 120/80, it’s important to get it checked.
Go to the opticians
Studies have also shown that patients with deteriorating vision are more likely to end up with an impaired ability to remember and make decisions – tell-tale warning signs of dementia.
Experts think that with less sensory information coming to stimulate the brain, the regions that process vision can start to deteriorate.
In addition, people with vision or hearing loss may exclude themselves – or feel excluded – from social interactions, further depriving them of cognitive simulation.
Hearing and vision loss have both been shown to increase the risk of dementia
‘But, even if your brain health is fine and you don’t have dementia, it’s still important to be proactive and look after your brain by building cognitive reserve, which can at the very least delay the onset of dementia,’ Dr Begeti said.
This can be as simple as getting your vision tested and wearing glasses where necessary.
Schedule an appointment with your dental hygienist
Poor oral health is increasingly being linked to inflammation and infection across the body, with research suggesting the impact is bigger than previously thought.
And the link between oral bacteria, which builds up between the teeth without regular flossing and interdental cleaning, and the brain is one of the most compelling in dementia research, experts say.
US researchers discovered last year that people with both gum disease and cavities were 86 per more likely to suffer an ischemic stroke – which occur when an artery in the brain is blocked by a blood clot.
They also found that adults with gum disease are more likely to have damage to the brain’s white matter, which affects memory, thinking and balance.
Damage to the brain’s white matter has also been linked to dementia.
Experts argue the findings highlight the importance of good oral hygiene – with some saying that brushing your teeth three times a day is necessary to prevent more than 50 diseases, including dementia.
Get vaccinated
There is mounting evidence the shingles vaccine could reduce the risk of dementia by up to half in over 50s.
The jab – which has previously been found to boost heart heart health – is thought to help slash the risk of vascular dementia, which is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain.
However, experts are still trying to figure out why this may be.
Research has recently suggested there may be a link between the varicella-zoster virus – which also causes chickenpox in children – and dementia when it comes to changes in the immune system.
After the initial infection, the virus can lay dormant in the nervous system for decades.
In those who are older or have weakened immune systems, the dormant virus can reactivate and cause shingles – which can cause inflammation of the brain, resulting in irreversible damage.
The shingles vaccine could reduce the risk of dementia by up to half, research suggests
Therefore, experts say, inhibiting the virus could reduce the risk, while boosting the immune system may also stave off dementia.
There are currently no approved treatment for Alzheimer’s on the NHS, but if proven to be effective, the vaccine could be fast-tracked for NHS use as a cheap and viable option to delay symptom onset.
The health service widened access to the vaccine last year, enabling 300,000 immunosuppressed adults to get the potentially life saving vaccine on the NHS.
People who turned 65 on or after 1 September 2023 and people aged 70 to 79 who have not yet been vaccinated are also eligible.
Look after your ears
Finally, Dr Begeti said, a simple hearing test could significantly slash your risk of developing dementia later in life,
‘Hearing is a huge thing – so the first thing is protecting the hearing by wearing ear buds,’ she said.
‘But if you’re noticing that your hearing is worsening then its important to book in. The key fact is that hearing aids reduce the risk of dementia back to baseline.
‘And we know that when hearing loss isn’t treated, the brain actually shrinks.
‘The hearing area of the brain is adjacent to the memory region, known as the temporal lobe, which is probably why hearing loss is such a big risk factor,’ she added.
This again ties into the idea of building cognitive reserve to ward off dementia. When people lose their hearing, they tend to shy away from conversation, which means they are more likely to become isolated – another key risk factor of the incurable condition, Dr Begeti said.
