Doctors advise lifestyle changes over blood tests for dementia risk

While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared four blood tests to help doctors diagnose whether Alzheimer’s is the cause of cognitive symptoms, medical experts caution against using them for predictive purposes in asymptomatic individuals. Specialists note that these tests are intended to help diagnose existing memory problems to qualify patients for treatments that may slow symptom progression, rather than to predict future onset in the ‘worried well.’

To lower the risk of dementia, doctors recommend focusing on preventable health factors. Research indicates that individuals who reach middle age without high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking habits can live nearly 13 years longer without dementia compared to those who possess all three risk factors in their 50s. Experts advise being aggressive in managing these conditions to achieve significant long-term benefits.