Targeting modifiable risk factors during young adulthood (aged 18-39 years) presents a critical window of opportunity for early intervention to mitigate the long-term risk of dementia.
Increasing research and policy focus on brain health and modifiable risk factors in young adults (18-39 years) is a crucial step for global dementia prevention efforts.
Efforts to prevent dementia can benefit from precision interventions delivered to the right population at the right time; that is, when the potential to reduce risk is the highest. Young adults (aged 18-39 years) are a neglected population in dementia research and policy making despite being highly exposed to several known modifiable risk factors. The risk and protective factors that have the biggest effect on dementia outcomes in young adulthood, and how these associations differ across regions and groups, still remain unclear. To address these uncertainties, the Next Generation Brain Health team convened a multidisciplinary expert group representing 15 nations across six continents. We identified several high-priority modifiable factors in young adulthood and devised five key recommendations for promoting brain health, ranging from individual to policy levels. Increasing research and policy focus on brain health across the life course, inclusive of younger populations, is the next crucial step in the efforts to prevent dementia at the global level.
Farina et al. (2024) conducted a review in Dementia prevention. Brain health promotion and risk reduction strategies was evaluated. Targeting modifiable risk factors during young adulthood (aged 18-39 years) presents a critical window of opportunity for early intervention to mitigate the long-term risk of dementia.