How can you maintain a healthy brain as you age?
You have more control over your brain health than you might expect.
When it comes to neurodegenerative diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s, it can seem like you either win the genetic lottery, or you don’t. This in turn can fuel anxiety. Will I stay sharp into old age? Will my loved ones?
The good news is that you have more influence on your risk for these diseases than you might expect. In a recent alumni UBC webinar, MEDTalks: Think well, live well—brain health for life, UBC experts explored how everyday behaviours—from social activity to flossing—can affect long-term brain health.
According to these experts—whose research areas span neurology, nursing, dentistry, nutrition, and psychology—there are many things we can do to lower our risk for dementia and maintain a healthy brain as we age. Here are five key takeaways from their discussion:
1. Dementia prevention is within reach
According to neurologist Dr. Haakon Nygaard—whose work has explored Alzheimer’s resilience—the individual risk of dementia has dropped by as much as 20 per cent every decade since the 1970s, a signal that prevention is achievable.
Over the past decade, researchers have identified a number of modifiable risk factors—that is, behaviours we have control over in our daily lives—that affect our chances of developing dementia. There is evidence to suggest that up to 50 per cent of dementia cases can be prevented by addressing these risk factors in your 40s and 50s.
Of course, your lifestyle and environment at every stage of development have an impact on your brain health as you age. What’s heartening is that you can make changes to lower your risk factor at any time—Dr. Nygaard says the “sweet spot” is midlife, but even changes in older adulthood can be beneficial.
2. Social connection is crucial
Nursing scholar Dr. Alison Phinney’s research focuses on the lived experience of people with dementia, not just prevention. One of the most surprising findings from Dr. Phinney’s conversations with patients is that many of them report living well, and many say they want to keep living for a long time.
So what is it that keeps people engaged with life when they’re living with a condition that scares so many of us? Dr. Phinney highlights three “senses” that help people with dementia keep living well: sense of purpose, sense of belonging and connection, and sense of humour.
Maintaining social connections and being involved in community, especially in ways that give back to the world, is essential for maintaining a sense of purpose and belonging. Many people with dementia also discover creative activities for the first time—things like dance, music, and visual art—which become very meaningful and sustaining parts of their lives.
3. Know what signs of decline to watch for—and which to ignore
When you misplace your keys, do you shrug it off as normal forgetfulness? Or do you worry it signals the start of cognitive decline? Psychologist Dr. Noah Silverberg’s research suggests that how we interpret these moments has a big impact on our perception of our cognitive health.
If your memory lapses can be explained by an outside factor, like a period of stress, or if the people around you aren’t concerned, it’s probably a normal sign of aging. Resist the urge to overcorrect by writing everything down, setting reminders for your reminders, or avoiding situations that require memory. These behaviours can backfire and exacerbate cognitive decline.
“If you have a good memory for instances in which your memory failed, you’re probably okay,” Dr. Silverberg says.
On the other hand, some changes are cause for concern. If someone is repeating themselves frequently without realizing it, getting lost in familiar places, or forgetting that a recent event happened altogether, it’s likely time to talk to a doctor.
4. Eat for brain health
If you need another reason to eat healthier, here it is. Our diet can have a major impact on our brain as we age.
Nutrition researcher Dr. Barbara Stefanska studies how diet influences gene expression through epigenetics—the process by which lifestyle and environment influence how our genes behave. She explains that ultraprocessed foods and foods high in sugar or trans fats (think bacon, white bread, and sugary drinks) are linked to chronic low-grade inflammation. While it can go unnoticed for long periods of time with few to no symptoms, chronic inflammation can interfere with neurotransmitters and damage brain cells, leading to neurodegeneration.
Dr. Stefanska recommends choosing whole foods over processed foods as much as possible. Certain nutrients—like vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and many compounds found in plants—are especially good for brain health. Additionally, nutrients that support vascular health—like vitamin D, magnesium, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (e.g. omega-3)—can help protect your brain as you age. Growing research also suggests that intermittent fasting might be beneficial for people with dementia and even reduce its symptoms.
If focusing on nutrition sounds familiar, the next one might surprise you.
5. Don’t overlook your oral health
According to periodontist Dr. Anuja Doshi, oral health also influences brain health: “Your mouth is not Vegas. What happens in the mouth doesn’t stay in the mouth.”
In fact, evidence suggests a very strong association between oral health and dementia, stroke, and Alzheimer’s. This is largely because chronic gum disease (periodontitis) causes inflammation that can travel through the bloodstream and affect the entire body, including the brain.
It’s vital to maintain proper oral hygiene by brushing twice a day and flossing regularly. But it matters how you floss—make sure to wrap the floss around your tooth to effectively remove the plaque. It’s also important to see your dentist for regular cleanings, especially if you have diabetes or a family history of gum disease, both of which put you at higher risk.
There are a lot of factors that impact our risk for dementia, but the amount of control we have over many of them is encouraging. Dr. Nygaard leaves us with a piece of advice that is both clear and accessible:
"Pick one risk factor that applies to you and try to do something about it if you can—because if everyone did that, it would have an enormous impact."
If you would like to delve deeper into the science of brain health, watch MEDTalks: Think well, live well—brain health for life to hear directly from the five UBC experts featured in the webinar.
