Neurologist outlines five appointments that may protect brain health

A neurologist listed five routine appointments—blood pressure, vision, dental, vaccination and hearing checks—that can help preserve brain health and delay dementia, and experts say many dementia risk factors are modifiable.

Dr Faye Begeti, a neurologist at Oxford University Hospitals, told the Daily Mail that five routine appointments can help preserve brain health and delay dementia. Her remarks follow recent expert reviews, including a 2024 Lancet commission and a broader consensus, that emphasise many modifiable dementia risk factors. Dr Begeti noted that brain changes often develop years before symptoms appear and that several important risks are linked to common health conditions. She identified checks for blood pressure, vision, dental health, vaccinations and hearing as relevant to brain health. What the report and neurologist noted: - Blood pressure: Research cited in the article links successful reduction of high blood pressure with about a 15% lower risk of developing dementia; hypertension is associated with stroke and vascular forms of dementia. - Vision: Studies have associated deteriorating eyesight with later declines in memory and decision-making, and experts say reduced sensory input and decreased social engagement may contribute. - Dental health: Research has linked gum disease and cavities with higher risk of ischemic stroke and with white matter changes in the brain that affect memory and thinking. - Vaccination: Some studies reported the shingles vaccine could reduce dementia risk in people over 50 by up to half; researchers are investigating possible links between the varicella-zoster virus, brain inflammation and later cognitive decline. - Hearing: The article reports that untreated hearing loss has been associated with brain shrinkage, and that hearing aids have been reported to reduce dementia risk back toward baseline. Summary: The article connects routine clinical checks and treatments to lower dementia risk and places those findings in the context of recent expert reviews emphasising modifiable factors. Research and public health work on these risk factors are ongoing. Undetermined at this time.