A world-renowned brain health expert says small changes to people's lifestyles can reduce their risk of developing dementia.
Clinical neuroscientist Professor Vladimir Hachinsky has been awarded the 2024 Lyman Prize, a $250,000 grant awarded to the world's best discovery, development, advancement, or achievement that improves the quality of life for older people. .
Hachinski, who is based at Western University's Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry in Canada, said Saturday morning that he encourages people to take care of their brains like they would take care of their luxury cars.
The human brain was “the most precious three pounds in the known universe”.
“I think if you had a car that was worth millions and millions and millions, you would take good care of it. That's the analogy.”
The model Hachinsky developed is called ABC. Topics include activity and sleep, eating a balanced diet and managing blood pressure, and connecting with others.
He said people only needed to make “really small” changes in each category to see health results.
“If you can walk 3,000 steps a day, you reduce your risk of premature death. If you can walk 800 steps a day, you reduce your risk of dementia.”
He said if people took these steps in nature, their anxiety levels, stress and heart rate would decrease.
“The basic idea is, 'What is the smallest thing that will give me the most?'”
Hachinsky said many people think of dementia as an inevitable result of aging, but that's not true.
5% of people in their 70s have dementia, rising to 24% in their 80s and 37% in their 90s.
“The chances of maintaining mental capacity at any stage of life are greater than developing dementia.”
Caroline Bartle, a dementia project specialist at Ryman Healthcare, said some of the risk factors for dementia are not preventable and genetics play a role.
“Women have a much higher risk of developing dementia, probably because we live much longer and have to juggle a lot more. Because there’s a lot of stress going on.”
But later changes in risk factors that were preventable also made a difference, she says.
For example, quitting smoking even after age 65 reduces your risk of developing dementia.
RNZ.co.NZ
