Young adults could become part of a ‘brain health movement’ to help prevent dementia in later life
New research has highlighted young adulthood as a critical yet overlooked stage for dementia prevention.
Published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, the study highlights that many risk factors for dementia – such as depression, obesity, low levels of activity, and alcohol use – are already prevalent in young adults and offer an opportunity for early intervention.
The research, led by the Next Generation Brain Health team, convened experts from 15 countries to explore brain health promotion strategies in young adulthood – defined as between 18 and 39 years of age.
The research team includes Dr Joe Butler, a Research Fellow at Sunderland University who is funded by the NIHR ARC North East and North Cumbria.
The authors have called for further, tailored research and policies that engage younger generations as partners in preventing dementia.
The work includes a series of recommendations that could be applied at an individual, community and national level, to support the prevention of dementia from the earliest age.
These include interventions to address low levels of education, risk of traumatic brain injury through sports or accidents, excessive alcohol use, obesity, depression, social isolation and low levels of physical activity, from an earlier age.
One key recommendation is to increase brain health awareness in young people, including supporting better knowledge of risk factors and lifestyle interventions to promote healthy brain choices, through tailored education and public health campaigns.
The study also urges national governments to introduce brain health charters and to create young adult advisory councils to ensure diverse representation in shaping brain health strategies.
NIHR ARC North East and North Cumbria Research Fellow Dr Joe Butler, said: “Young adulthood is an important window of opportunity to introduce interventions that could significantly reduce the risk of dementia. Failing to address these risk factors could lead to a cascading effect on brain health that persists through mid-life to late life and increase dementia risk.
“We hope this work can start conversations about how we can encourage younger generations to become part of a new brain health movement, and help to prevent dementia from the earliest age.”
Dr Joe Butler is a Research Fellow with our Multi-morbidity, Ageing and Frailty theme and is based at the Helen McArdle Nursing and Care Research Institute at Sunderland University.