Seen Joe Biden disoriented? 10 ways to prevent early onset of dementia

The Lancet Commission's 2024 report identifies 10 modifiable risk factors associated with 40% of all dementia cases, highlighting ways to reduce or delay the onset of the condition.

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Joe Biden (File Image)

Criticism of President Biden surged after the first US presidential debate in late June, with concerns about his performance highlighting issues such as his soft, muffled speech and his tendency to make illogical statements or lose focus.

This has led to speculation among many, including medical experts, that Biden may be exhibiting signs of dementia and cognitive decline. However, questions remain about how much cognitive decline is a typical part of aging and what can be accurately inferred about Biden’s cognitive health from his public appearances alone.

Recommendations for reducing dementia risk

The Commission’s report proposes 10 recommendations for individuals and governments to reduce dementia risk:

  • Ensure quality education for children and maintain cognitive activity in midlife.
  • Provide access to hearing aids and mitigate harmful noise exposure.
  • Monitor and treat high LDL cholesterol from midlife.
  • Screen for and address vision impairment.
  • Effectively treat depression.
  • Use protective headgear during contact sports and cycling.
  • Foster supportive community environments to enhance social interaction.
  • Enforce clean air policies to reduce air pollution.
  • Implement stricter anti-smoking measures, such as increasing prices or raising the minimum purchase age.
  • Lower sugar and salt content in food sold in stores and restaurants.

“Healthy lifestyles that involve regular exercise, not smoking, cognitive activity in midlife, and avoiding excess alcohol can not only lower dementia risk but may also delay its onset,” Livingston stated. “This has significant implications for quality of life and cost-saving benefits for societies.”

Advances and future research

The report also highlights advances in identifying blood biomarkers for dementia diagnosis and calls for more research into the condition. It also requests greater transparency regarding the side effects of newer treatments like anti-amyloid beta antibody therapy for Alzheimer’s disease.