Importance of brain health

When people think about wellness, they often think about the body from the neck down. Yet brain health has a huge impact on quality of life as individuals mature. Ask your patients about their goals for successful aging and you’re likely to hear:

• I hope to stay engaged and independent.
  
  
• I don’t want to be a burden to my family or friends.
  
  
• I’d like to leave something positive behind.

Cognitive health and the ability to remain physically active are among the biggest factors in achieving these goals.

Supporting brain health

Evidence suggests that high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and other cardiovascular risk factors significantly increase the likelihood of cognitive decline. These factors also increase the risk of cerebrovascular disease, which disrupts the blood supply to the brain.  In addition, research has found that people more often suffer clinical symptoms of dementia when Alzheimer pathology and cerebrovascular disease coexist.

Many experts believe that controlling cardiovascular risk factors, beginning in midlife, is the most cost-effective and beneficial strategy to protect brain health.

Other studies have found that remaining physically active and socially and intellectually engaged may also have a significant impact on lifelong brain health. Some of these measures may even help reduce dementia risk.

• Alzheimer’s Association Maintain Your Brain® is a public education campaign to raise awareness of steps everyone can take to make brain health part of their overall goals for healthy aging. Workshops are offered through Alzheimer’s Association local chapters.
  
  
• For more information, go to Maintain Your Brain
  View an annotated citation list of Maintain Your Brain evidence