Dementia is not inevitable

Dear Friends,

I’m delighted to share our latest episode of Live Longer Better, where Leslie Kenny and I discuss one of the most important messages in modern medicine today: dementia is neither inevitable nor untreatable.

For many years, dementia was viewed simply as an unavoidable consequence of ageing. We now know that this is not true. The Lancet Commission on Dementia has spent ten years reviewing all the evidence on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care and has concluded that the that overall risk may be reduced by at least a third through changes in lifestyle and environment.

One important point is that dementia is not a single condition. There are many different forms of dementia, and not all are linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In particular, vascular dementia—caused by damage to the blood supply to the brain—is strongly associated with factors we can influence ourselves.

In our conversation, we focus on three key ways to protect brain health and reduce risk:

Firstly, protect the brain itself. Sleep, stress management, physical protection, and reducing exposure to air pollution all appear to play important roles in maintaining healthy brain tissue. Repeated minor head injuries, chronic inflammation, and poor sleep may all contribute to long-term damage.

Secondly, keep the blood and oxygen flowing to the brain. The same lifestyle measures that protect the heart also protect the brain: regular physical activity, avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy diet, and supporting cardiovascular health throughout life.

Thirdly, remain socially and intellectually engaged. Isolation and lack of stimulation are increasingly recognised as significant risk factors. Staying curious, connected, challenged, and involved with others appears to be deeply important for healthy ageing.

One of the most encouraging findings is that many of these protective actions are beneficial at any age. It is never too late to support brain health and improve quality of life and the evidence is summarised in my book titled Increase Your Brainability; Reduce the Risk and Impact of Dementia.

I'd also like to add that we also had a marvellous time at the Smart Ageing Summit. It was a great success, and it was wonderful to see so many of you there. The conversations, enthusiasm, and shared commitment to living longer and better made the event truly memorable. Thank you to everyone who joined us—we greatly enjoyed meeting so many members of our community in person.

Warm regards,
Sir Muir Gray