Midlife vascular health linked to 13 extra years without dementia

A study on midlife vascular health suggests that avoiding three specific risk factors between the ages of 48 and 68 can extend life free of dementia by an average of nearly 13 years. The research, which analyzed data from over 12,000 participants with an average age of 56, identified normal blood pressure, the absence of diabetes, and not smoking as the key factors.

Participants who avoided all three risks lived an average of 30 years without developing dementia, whereas those with all three risk factors lived only about 17 years without the condition. The study showed a progressive reduction in dementia-free years as more risk factors were present: individuals with one factor averaged 26 years, and those with two factors averaged 21 years.

Professor Josef Coresh of New York University emphasized that actively avoiding these factors during midlife is a crucial strategy for preserving brain health. The findings highlight a strong link between vascular health and cognitive longevity, noting that individuals with all three risk factors faced nearly three times the risk of developing dementia compared to those with none.