A healthy brain may help protect thinking and memory from the early effects of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study has found.
Dementia is now the leading cause of death in Australia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common condition, accounting for over 70% of cases.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disease that causes a gradual decline in cognitive abilities, leading to impaired memory and thinking skills.
However, some people maintain high levels of cognitive function despite early signs of disease in their brains. Specifically, some older adults have brain lesions associated with Alzheimer’s disease but do not have noticeable cognitive problems.
the study, Cognitive function and brain reserve as modifiers of early Alzheimer’s disease-related cognitive vulnerabilitya collaboration between Murdoch University and AdventHealth, investigated why some people remain cognitively healthy despite the early brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our study investigated why some brains are more resilient than others and whether factors such as people’s education, socio-economic status and brain health make a difference,” said lead author Dr Kelsey Sewell, from Murdoch University’s School of Allied Health.
“Understanding these protective factors could help us develop more targeted strategies earlier to minimize the impact of the disease on memory and thinking skills,” she said.
The research team analyzed data from more than 600 older adults in the United States, ages 65 to 80, who lived independently and had no signs of dementia or memory loss.
They used blood tests and MRI scans to assess early Alzheimer’s disease-related changes and overall brain health, looked at lifestyle and social factors such as years of education, income, savings, and financial security, and administered cognitive tests that measure memory, attention, processing speed, working memory, and executive function.
Our main finding was that maintaining good overall brain health may help reduce the impact of Alzheimer’s disease-related changes on cognitive function. ”
Dr. Kelsey Sewell, United School of Allied Health Sciences; Murdoch University
“We also observed early evidence that people of higher socio-economic status may be less affected by Alzheimer’s disease-related changes when it comes to memory performance, although further research is needed to confirm this relationship.”
Dr. Sewell said the main lesson for the public is to do everything you can to maintain a healthy brain.
“Exercising, maintaining a healthy diet, getting good sleep, and discovering new cognitive challenges can all help maintain a healthy brain. It’s never too late or too early to start,” she said.
“These results highlight the need for coordinated action across research, policy, and industry to design environments that support healthier choices and promote brain health at the population level.”
Data collection for this study was led by researchers at AdventHealth in Orlando, Florida.
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Reference magazines:
Sewell, K.R. others. (2026) Cognitive function and brain reserve as modifiers of early Alzheimer’s disease-related cognitive vulnerability. Neurology. DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000214833. https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214833.
