A preventive neurologist shares 2 overlooked dementia risk factors

If you're trying to trim your individual consequence of processing dementia aliases Alzheimer's, the reply mightiness beryllium correct successful beforehand of your eyes — aliases wrong earshot.

Dr. Kellyann Niotis, a preventive neurologist and adjunct professor of neurology astatine Weill Cornell Medicine, said imagination and proceeding nonaccomplishment are 2 consequence factors for cognitive decline.

"They're 2 large ones that group don't often deliberation astir arsenic related to their brain," Niotis said astatine a June salon meal pinch Julianne Moore to beforehand Brain Health Matters, a nationalist wellness run from Lilly to promote encephalon wellness awareness. "So if you are not up to day connected your yearly screenings, please, please, please do that."

Niotis, who focuses connected diseases for illustration Alzheimer's, told Business Insider that she hopes much group will return consequence factors for illustration sensory nonaccomplishment much earnestly arsenic they age. A 2024 Lancet study recovered that astir half of each dementia cases worldwide could perchance beryllium prevented by mitigating consequence factors, including imagination and proceeding loss.

Niotis shared why our eyes and ears are truthful linked to encephalon wellness — and what to watch retired for.

Why sensory nonaccomplishment whitethorn beryllium connected to cognitive decline

Niotis said researchers are still trying to fig retired precisely why proceeding and imagination nonaccomplishment are tied to neurodegenerative diseases for illustration dementia. As of now, location are immoderate hypotheses.

One is related to encephalon stimulation. A large portion of encephalon wellness preservation is challenging your brain, beryllium it done puzzles, learning a caller language, aliases playing an instrument, Niotis said.

Sensory nonaccomplishment tin make it harder to activate definite parts of the brain. "There's a thought that arsenic personification loses their sight, they aren't being provided pinch that sensory stimulation that that region of the encephalon needs," Niotis said.

Another mentation is much straightforward: losing your show aliases proceeding has downstream effects connected different brain-healthy habits. "If you can't spot well, are you little socially engaged? Are you much socially isolated? Are you little consenting to prosecute successful activities, for illustration exercise, that different are keeping your encephalon active?" Niotis said.

Watch retired for halos aliases different group complaining astir your hearing

When it comes to sensory loss, location are a fewer reddish flags to watch retired for.

For imagination loss, conditions for illustration cataracts are communal successful older adults and trim ocular sharpness. Even so, "if that's importantly impacting your expertise to see, it could beryllium putting your encephalon astatine risk," Niotis said, whether the nonaccomplishment of imagination weakens signals successful the encephalon aliases changes really you socialize.

You should see getting an oculus introspection if you acquisition signs of glaucoma (a group of oculus diseases that harm the optic nerve), changes successful really you comprehend colors, seeing a batch of halos (such arsenic erstwhile you're driving), and words "jumping" astir the page, she said. These are not, connected their own, nonstop symptoms of dementia aliases cognitive decline, and do not needfully power dementia risk. However, untreated, they could go consequence factors down the line, Niotis said.

Hearing nonaccomplishment is simply a small much subtle: "It's often recognized by group astir you," Niotis said, truthful if you're abruptly fielding complaints from friends and family, it mightiness beryllium a motion to get your proceeding checked — and not hold it. "Most group I find are not capable to admit that nonaccomplishment the aforesaid measurement they are capable to admit imagination loss," she said, making it easier to dismiss.

A fewer elemental manner tweaks tin trim your risk

Thankfully, location are immoderate ways to sphere your proceeding and vision.

One of the biggest preventable causes of proceeding nonaccomplishment "is wholly successful our control," Niotis said. "It's vulnerability to large noises." She said taking precautions specified arsenic wearing earplugs astatine concerts aliases due proceeding protection erstwhile moving large machinery is very important.

When it comes to imagination loss, Niotis said wearing sunglasses and reducing nonstop sun vulnerability to the eyes tin protect the eyes from ultraviolet radiation, which contributes to cataracts and immoderate different UV-related oculus damage.

And while there's nary investigation that links imperishable imagination nonaccomplishment to surface time, Niotis said it tin still beryllium a bully thought to return surface breaks. "If you're personification who's staring astatine a telephone aliases surface each of the time, you're training your eyes to do 1 peculiar task, which is to converge and look successful beforehand of you," she said, perchance starring to temporary oculus strain aliases eventual nearsightedness.

For that, she recommends taking a break and going for a locomotion — an already brain-healthy habit.

This article is not a substitute for master aesculapian advice, diagnosis, aliases treatment. Always consult your qualified expert aliases healthcare provider.