In our recent paper published in npj Dementia, we looked at dementia in a broader way. Instead of focusing on one risk factor at a time, we used computer tools to explore how different parts of our health are linked to each other as we age. This helped us see how physical health, brain health, and ageing influence one another across adult life, rather than treating dementia as the result of a single cause.

From a prevention point of view, this is important. Our findings suggest that dementia is not something that starts suddenly or has just one clear cause. Instead, it often develops at the end of many long-term changes in the body, including how fast we age biologically, how well our metabolism works, how resilient our systems are, and how much strain they have been under over time.

Age itself still matters, but we also found that how we age matters a great deal. People age at different speeds. This “biological ageing” is influenced by things we can change, such as lifestyle, long-term stress, inflammation, overall metabolic health, and the environments we live in. Rather than focusing only on trying to avoid dementia later in life, we believe prevention should aim to support healthier ageing earlier on, especially during midlife. Some well-known factors linked to brain health, such as physical activity or education, did not appear as direct causes of dementia in our analysis.

This does not mean they are unimportant. Instead, it suggests they work earlier in life, helping to build mental strength, flexibility, and resilience. These factors may not prevent dementia on their own, but they influence how well the brain copes with ageing over time.

Overall, our findings support a shift away from trying to prevent disease only at the final stages, and toward healthy ageing approaches that support the whole body including the brain, metabolism, immune system, and mental health many years earlier.

Seen this way, dementia prevention goes hand in hand with protecting healthspan: the years we live in good physical and mental health. Actions that slow biological ageing, reduce long-term stress, and support resilience may not mention dementia directly, but they may be among the most effective ways to delay or reduce its impact.

Open Science: Sharing Knowledge Through Zenodo

In line with the principles of open science, this study and its supporting data have been made freely available on Zenodo.

By sharing these resources openly, the research ensures transparency, accessibility, and wider impact, allowing researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to explore the findings and apply insights to promote healthy ageing and dementia prevention.

Reference

Yu, X., Lophatananon, A., Holmes, V. et al. Investigating causal networks of dementia using causal discovery and natural language processing models. npj Dement. 1, 4 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44400-025-00006-2

**Article written by University of Manchester, a key partner in the COMFORTage project.