A new research report published in the journal ‘Nature Medicine’ from NYU Langone Health, Johns Hopkins and NIH pegs the risk of contracting dementia after age 55 at 42%. That figure is approximately double what previous research has identified. NYU notes that previous studies were based on incomplete data.
42% is a sobering statistic. It beckons that all adults over 40 take serious steps to prevent the deterioration of their cognitive acuity. We have addressed issues that require attention previously but, in response to this new research, we will take the opportunity to review the recommendations.
Get Active and Stay Physically Active
Former Director of the CDC, Tom Frieden, M.D., makes this statement: “Staying active is the closest thing we have to a wonder drug.”
For decades, neurologists thought that the number of neural circuits in the human brain remained stable from birth through old age. In recent years, research has discovered that humans are capable of neurogenesis – the growth of new neurons – in the hippocampus which is the central switching station for memory. Robust physical activity drives neurogenesis in the hippocampus.
John Ratey, M.D. of Harvard Medical School calls BDNF ‘Miracle Gro for the Brain.’ Dr. Ratey urges all his patients and viewers of his videos to pump up the production of BDNF via physical activity.
More research produces more evidence that physical activity promotes brain health. For example, the integrity of our white matter – where neurons connect with other neurons – looks much better for people who are physically active.
The jury is in! If you want to tilt the odds in your favor against dementia, get moving and stay active.
Challenge Your Brain
A study published in the journal ‘Neurology’ in the spring of 2025 cites the dangers of cognitive monotony. People who did the same tasks in the same job throughout their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s had a 66% higher risk of cognitive deterioration and a 37% greater risk of dementia in their 70’s. ‘Same old, same old’ does not cut it!
Take on a new learning challenge – a new language, a musical instrument or the art of Catalan cuisine. Challenge your memory. Make a list for the grocery store. Put it in your pocket. Before you check out, consult the list to see what you did not remember.
Nurture Relationships
The Harvard Study of Adult Development, collecting detailed physical and psychological data for 90 years, concludes that the quality of a person’s relationships is the best predictor for health in later life decades. Reach out and contact that cousin you haven’t talked to in years. Email an old college classmate. Enrich your social network.
Shinrin Yoku
Get with what the Japanese call ‘shinrin yoku.’ Translated best as ‘forest bathing,’ Japanese health care providers tell their patients to ‘get out in nature, take a deep breath and relax.’ Empirical research by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan of the University of Michigan shows that time spent in nature enhances psychological wellbeing, boosts our immunity, reduces stress and promotes healing.
The risk of cognitive deterioration looms large for people who maintain sedentary habits, follow the same routine day after day and flirt with social isolation. You can have an impact on the odds of keeping your brain sharp. Don’t bypass the opportunity.
Dr. Richard Houston is an active and curious ‘senior’ who strives to get outdoors for a brisk walk daily. He is a graduate of Brown University and earned advanced degrees at Clark University. He was licensed by the Massachusetts Board of Psychology in the early 1980’s. Check out his web site at Senior-Psych.com where readers can find tutorials and his contact information.
This article was originally published in CHOICES For Fifty Plus, a Dubuque area magazine for people that are 50 and older. Single copies are available at Dubuque area newsstands or click here to read the digital version of the latest issue.
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