Vradenburg: Report serves as a call to action for annual brain health check-ups starting in midlife

Washington, DC (July 31, 2024) — A report published Wednesday by the Lancet commission on dementia found that nearly half of all dementia cases could either be delayed or possibly even prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors, particularly during midlife. The report also added high cholesterol and vision loss to the twelve previously identified risk factors. This is the first time since 2020 the commission has updated its findings.

“This report serves as a call to action for people to have annual brain health check-ups starting in midlife when the majority of these risk factors appear,” said George Vradenburg, chair and co-founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. “Lancet is reminding us there are things people can do to reduce their risk, but it can’t stop there. The brain is a critical organ of the body and should receive regular check-ups just like we do with the heart, breasts, colon, and prostate.” 

The fourteen risk factors identified by the Lancet commission include:

• Social Isolation
• Depression
• Hearing Loss
• Less Education
• Hypertension
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Physical Inactivity
• Diabetes
• Excessive Alcohol Consumption
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Air Pollution
• High LDL Cholesterol
• Vision Loss

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is a leader in promoting Alzheimer’s prevention. To learn more about our work and what people can do to reduce their risk, please visit https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/learn/brain-health.

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About UsAgainstAlzheimer’s
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is engaged in a relentless pursuit to end Alzheimer’s, the sixth leading killer in America. Our work centers on prevention, early detection and diagnosis, and equal access to treatments regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity. To achieve our mission, we give voice to patients and caregivers while partnering with government, scientists, the private sector, and allied organizations -- the people who put the “Us” in UsAgainstAlzheimer’s.