After someone close to us is diagnosed with stroke or dementia, it often sparks a slew of questions, particularly about how we can safeguard our own brain health. Dr. Jonathan Rosand, a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, has encountered this question time and time again. In response, he collaborated with colleagues at the McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital to create the McCance Brain Care Score, a revolutionary tool designed to help individuals measure and improve their brain health.
The McCance Brain Care Score is unique in its approach. This tool evaluates various factors that contribute to brain health, focusing on physical, lifestyle, and social-emotional components. Based on data from nearly 400,000 adults between the ages of 40 and 69, this tool was developed to identify key risk factors for conditions like stroke and dementia. The study found that higher scores correlated with a significantly lower risk of these conditions over time, particularly when individuals made proactive changes earlier in life.
The score considers twelve critical factors, which include:
- Physical factors: Blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body mass index (BMI).
- Lifestyle factors: Nutrition, alcohol intake, smoking, exercise, and sleep habits.
- Social-emotional factors: Stress management, social relationships, and a sense of life purpose.
Each factor is given a point value, and these points are added up to determine an individual’s Brain Care Score, with a perfect score being 21. The higher your score, the better you’re taking care of your brain. It’s not just about avoiding dementia or stroke the score also serves as a gauge for overall well-being, linking good brain health to a lower risk of other chronic diseases, including heart disease and certain cancers.
A higher Brain Care Score is not just linked to a reduced risk of strokes and dementia. It also plays a role in mental health. Research shows that individuals with higher scores are less likely to suffer from depression. Even those in their 60s and beyond can still reap substantial benefits from improving their Brain Care Score. A five-point increase in score, for example, was linked to a 33% lower risk of stroke in older adults.
Importantly, these results highlight that it’s never too late to make a positive change. Dr. Rosand emphasizes that while the benefits are more significant when you are younger, improving your Brain Care Score at any age can help prevent future brain-related issues and may even slow cognitive decline in those already facing challenges.
The implications of the Brain Care Score extend beyond just brain health. It aligns closely with cardiovascular health, with factors like not smoking and maintaining a healthy blood pressure level being especially influential. These same habits that improve brain health can also reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and even certain cancers.
Dr. Rosand explains that brain health is intricately tied to the vascular system the network of blood vessels that supply the brain with nutrients and oxygen. Vascular dementia, for instance, arises when blood vessels in the brain deteriorate, often after a series of small strokes. While Alzheimer’s disease is primarily caused by the degeneration of brain cells, the two conditions often coexist, exacerbating each other. A higher Brain Care Score, however, may help prevent or delay the onset of both diseases.
Raising your Brain Care Score doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your life. It starts with small, manageable steps. Dr. Rosand advises people to start with the areas that seem easiest to tackle, whether it’s improving sleep habits, adding more physical activity to the day, or adopting a healthier diet. Positive changes in one area often inspire individuals to tackle others, creating a cycle of improvement that can significantly enhance overall brain health.
In conclusion, the McCance Brain Care Score offers a simple yet powerful tool for anyone looking to protect their brain and overall health. By understanding and modifying the factors that impact brain function, we can all take proactive steps to reduce the risk of strokes, dementia, and other age-related brain conditions. Whether you’re in your 40s or 60s, it’s never too late to start caring for your brain and the benefits will extend to your whole body.
