My research aims to better understand and preserve brain health through the lifespan – starting from the earliest stages of life. Nearly half of all dementia cases could be prevented by modifying parts of our lifestyle, particularly our cardiovascular health. Whilst we know “what’s good for the heart is good for the brain”, we don’t yet know exactly when or why. Our recent work, now published in the journal eBioMedicine, combined cardiovascular science, neuroimaging, and epidemiology to address these questions and challenge current thinking about dementia.

Leading models of dementia risk suggest that poor cardiovascular health (e.g., obesity, hypertension, physical inactivity) during midlife (40-65 years) is linked to higher odds of brain atrophy, cognitive difficulties, and, ultimately, dementia in old age. But, so far, little is known about these links between heart and brain health earlier in life.

Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), we showed that poorer cardiovascular health during childhood and adolescence may already be linked to differences in the structure of a type of brain tissue called grey matter – much earlier than previously thought. These findings were predominantly identified in brain regions which contribute to thinking and memory function and are known to be involved in dementia. This work could help pave the way in identifying and mitigating dementia risks earlier in life, though further research is needed with a more diverse group of participants to be able to generalise findings to the wider population.

We hope to encourage necessary change in how we think of, talk about, and act towards ‘disorders of old age’, seeing them rather as ‘diseases of the lifespan’. Indeed, it is never too early to start living a healthier lifestyle.