Resources
Straight answers, what the research says about lowering your risk, and where to find information you can trust.
Need help with dementia right now?
800-272-3900 Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline, any hour, free and confidential.
800-438-4380 NIH ADEAR Center, information and referrals on weekdays.
Both lines are operated independently of The Dementia League. More on who answers. In immediate danger, call 911.
Dementia or Alzheimer’s?
Dementia is the umbrella word. It means memory, thinking, language or judgment problems serious enough to get in the way of daily life. It is not one disease but a group of symptoms with many causes.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause, behind about 6 in 10 cases. The rest come from other conditions, and many people have more than one.
- Alzheimer’s disease62%
- Vascular dementia17%
- Mixed dementia10%
- Lewy body dementia4%
- Frontotemporal dementia2%
- Other causes5%
- Alzheimer’s disease: protein build-up in the brain; memory loss usually comes first.
- Vascular dementia: reduced blood flow to the brain, often after strokes or from long-standing high blood pressure.
- Lewy body dementia: protein deposits called Lewy bodies; can bring visual hallucinations, sleep changes and movement problems.
- Frontotemporal dementia: affects the front and sides of the brain; changes in behaviour or language often come before memory loss, and it tends to start younger.
- Mixed dementia: two causes at once, most often Alzheimer’s with vascular changes.
Not every memory change is dementia. Thyroid problems, low vitamin B12, depression, sleep apnea and some medicines can all look like it, and those can be treated. If you are worried, talk with a doctor.
Lowering your risk
Nearly half of all dementia cases are linked to 14 risk factors you can act on, according to the 2024 Lancet Commission. Seven more, from medicines, sleep, nutrition, teeth and infections, are worth knowing about too.
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+60% higher risk
Less education
Keep learning at any age; it builds reserve.
Lancet Commission, 2024
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+40% higher risk
Hearing loss
Get hearing checked; hearing aids help.
Lancet Commission, 2024
-
+30% higher risk
High LDL cholesterol
Know your number from age 40 and treat it.
Lancet Commission, 2024
-
+120% higher risk
Depression
Treat it. Help works, at any age.
Lancet Commission, 2024
-
+70% higher risk
Serious or repeated head injury
Moderate to severe injuries, or repeated blows, not a single mild concussion. Helmets, seat belts and fall-proof homes.
Lancet Commission, 2024
-
+20% higher risk
Physical inactivity
Move most days. A brisk walk counts.
Lancet Commission, 2024
-
+30% higher risk
Smoking
Quitting lowers risk, even later in life.
Lancet Commission, 2024
-
+70% higher risk
Diabetes
Prevent it, or keep blood sugar well controlled.
Lancet Commission, 2024
-
+20% higher risk
High blood pressure
Aim for 130 or lower from midlife.
Lancet Commission, 2024
-
+30% higher risk
Obesity
A healthy weight in midlife protects the brain.
Lancet Commission, 2024
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+20% higher risk
Heavy drinking
Less is better: under 21 units a week.
Lancet Commission, 2024
-
+60% higher risk
Social isolation
See people. Join something. Call someone.
Lancet Commission, 2024
-
+10% higher risk
Air pollution
Cleaner air and less traffic exposure help.
Lancet Commission, 2024
-
+50% higher risk
Untreated vision loss
Get eyes checked; treat cataracts and other causes.
Lancet Commission, 2024
-
+49% higher risk
Anticholinergic medicines
Some bladder, allergy, sleep and depression pills. Ask a pharmacist about alternatives.
Coupland et al., JAMA Intern Med, 2019 (3+ years daily)
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+49% higher risk
Benzodiazepines
Sleeping and anxiety pills like lorazepam. Short-term only; taper with your doctor.
Zhong et al., meta-analysis, 2015; evidence mixed
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+29% higher risk
Gabapentin
With 6 or more prescriptions. Review long-term use with your doctor.
Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, 2025 (low back pain)
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+33% higher risk
Sleep apnea
Loud snoring and daytime tiredness? Get tested. Treatment helps.
Meta-analyses, 2023 and 2024
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+33% higher risk
Low vitamin B12
Easy to test and easy to treat. Ask for a B12 check.
One large records study, 2025; evidence mixed
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+21% higher risk
Gum disease
Brush, floss, see a dentist. Treat infections early.
Review of 47 studies, J Am Geriatr Soc, 2022
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−20% risk
Shingles
lower risk with the shingles vaccine. Ask your doctor if you are 50 or over.
Natural experiment in Wales, Nature, 2025
Each percentage is the extra dementia risk found in large studies for people with that factor, compared with people without it. These are links, not proof of cause, and they add up differently for each person. Never stop a prescribed medicine on your own. Take this list to your doctor or pharmacist and decide together.
Trusted sources
- Alzheimer’s Association: symptoms, diagnosis, caregiving and a helpline.
- National Institute on Aging: trusted health information.
- ClinicalTrials.gov: studies looking for participants.
- Careberry.org: our partner’s IRB-approved research participation registry for adults 18 and over.
- Family Caregiver Alliance: support for family caregivers.
A note
We share research to help you understand it. It is not medical advice. For questions about your health, talk with a doctor.
Be a research hero.
No diagnosis needed. Adults 18 and over, caregivers welcome. Always your choice.
Careberry's IRB-approved registry. Site code 005. How it works
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