This scientific statement provides a broad overview of nonvascular physical and psychologic variables affecting brain health across the life span to provide a framework for future studies.
The concepts of brain health (ie, optimal functioning of the brain across cognitive, emotional, and behavioral domains throughout life) and cognitive resilience (ie, the ability of the brain to recover after an insult) have become increasingly important as the population ages. Previous research has called attention to vascular risk factors underlying cerebrovascular disease, as well as modifiable variables that contribute to premature aging and cognitive dysfunction. In this scientific statement, we focus on the role of nonvascular physical and psychologic variables that affect brain health across the life span. We provide a broad overview of influences such as chronic medical conditions, inflammation, environmental exposures, and socioeconomic drivers that affect the developing brain, along with factors including sleep quality, the gut microbiome, and mental health that contribute to neurodegeneration. We also review the varying strength of evidence supporting biologic mechanisms and mitigating strategies that may help optimize resilience, with the goal of providing a framework for future studies.
“We've long focused on managing risk factors like blood pressure and cholesterol, which remain critical for heart and brain health, however, this statement spotlights research on external factors like sleep quality, the gut microbiome and social conditions that are also associated with brain health.”
Marsh et al. (Tue,) conducted a review in Brain health and cognitive resilience. This scientific statement provides a broad overview of nonvascular physical and psychologic variables affecting brain health across the life span to provide a framework for future studies.
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