Brain health includes doctor appointments to support your mind and body.

High blood pressure can damage brain cells and raise the risk of stroke and dementia; the article also highlights checks of vision, hearing, oral health and shingles vaccination as linked to cognitive health.

This is the final day of the Brain Health Challenge and it highlights routine medical checks linked to brain health. The article explains that heart health and brain health are closely connected, and that high blood pressure can damage brain cells and increase the risk of stroke and dementia. Experts note that high blood pressure often has no symptoms until it causes harm and that managing it in midlife is particularly important. The piece also reviews other health measures tied to cognition, including vision and hearing assessments, oral health, and shingles vaccination. What we know: - High blood pressure can stress and damage blood vessels in the brain and is a risk factor for stroke and dementia. - Experts say blood-pressure–related damage accumulates over years, so managing hypertension in midlife matters for long-term brain health. - Hearing and vision loss have been linked with higher dementia risk, possibly because less sensory input reduces brain stimulation and can lead to social withdrawal. - Research cited connects oral health, including regular flossing, with lower odds of stroke and links gum-disease bacteria to higher Alzheimer's risk. - One study mentioned found that shingles vaccination was associated with up to a 20 percent lower chance of developing dementia. Summary: Routine medical checks are presented as part of a broader approach to protecting cognitive health. The article emphasizes knowing blood pressure numbers and monitoring vision, hearing and oral health, and it notes a study linking shingles vaccination with reduced dementia risk. It concludes by encouraging scheduling medical appointments that address both brain and body.