Protecting brain function, memory and reducing dementia risk as you age.
Women are at higher risk for Alzheimer's disease (nearly 2/3 of cases are women). This isn't just because women live longer — hormonal changes (menopause), higher rates of depression, and possibly different cardiovascular risk patterns play a role. Brain health starts decades before symptoms appear.
Regular physical exercise (increases BDNF — 'fertiliser for brain cells'), Mediterranean diet (linked to lower dementia risk), quality sleep (when the brain clears waste products), cognitive stimulation (learning new skills, reading, puzzles), and social engagement (conversation, community, purpose).
The Lancet Commission identifies 12 modifiable risk factors for dementia: less education in early life, hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, hypertension, excessive alcohol, obesity, smoking, depression, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution, and diabetes. Addressing these could prevent up to 40% of dementia cases.
Occasional forgetfulness (misplacing keys, forgetting a name) is normal. Concerning signs: getting lost in familiar places, repeatedly asking the same questions, trouble following conversations or instructions, confusion about time or place, poor judgement with finances, personality changes. See your GP for cognitive screening.