Neurolongevity focuses on optimizing brain performance to extend cognitive vitality. Age-related changes in brain structure and function— such as shrinkage (i.e., atrophy), reduced cerebral blood flow, and memory difficulties— affect the lives of millions of older adults. These changes can range from minor annoyances, like forgetting where you placed things, to severe conditions, including strokes, neurodegenerative disorders, and dementia.
Nearly everyone experiences some degree of cognitive decline with age. The extent of this decline at, say, 75 years old, is influenced by the health and activities of your previous years— what you did at 74, 73, 72, and so forth. By building a resilient brain throughout your life through exercise, diet, supplements, sleep, and other beneficial daily habits, you may minimize age-related cognitive decline and achieve neurolongevity. You lay a resilient neural foundation to support cognitive vitality in your older years by prioritizing brain health early in life. You can enhance your brain’s current and future performance through everyday behaviors starting today— right here, right now.
Neurolongevity has gained more attention in response to the alarming increase in dementia, which is projected to exceed 100 million cases globally by 2050. Dementia is an umbrella term referring to a collection of neurodegenerative diseases that cause a loss of cognitive function (e.g., memory, problem-solving), such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The financial burden of dementia is devastating, with annual global costs approaching $1.3 trillion in 2019, according to Wimo et al. (2023). Additionally, dementia places significant strain on relationship and caregiver responsibilities, affecting families and communities.
As there is no cure for dementia, adopting a proactive approach is essential in the battle against this disease. By integrating neurolongevity practices, such as regular exercise and adequate vitamin D intake, into your daily lives, you can lower your risk for dementia.
Exercise is a well-known protective factor against dementia. The Alzheimer’s Society estimates that people who exercise regularly are 20% less likely to develop dementia, compared to those who are inactive. Vitamin D is emerging as a “necessary neuro-steroid with various actions in the brain,” including clearing amyloid plaques and reducing inflammation in the brain—both of which are thought to contribute to the development of AD (Anjum et al., 2018).
However, the benefits of exercise and vitamin D extend beyond prevention, enhancing brain function and optimizing cognitive performance— key pillars of neurolongevity. Certain forms of exercise, such as resistance training and high intensity interval training (HIIT), significantly boosts the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that not only supports neuron survival and growth to combat age-related atrophy, but also promotes neuroplasticity, learning, and memory, as demonstrated by Heisz et al. (2017). In a study by Gosh et al. (2024), individuals with deficient levels of vitamin D performed significantly worse on a verbal fluency assessment than those with normal levels, suggesting vitamin D may be implicated in cognition. Other research reinforces the role of vitamin D in cognitive function—Yang et al. (2020) observed notable improvements in full scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ), information, digit span, vocabulary, block design, and picture arrangement scores in participants who received 800 IU of vitamin D per day, compared to participants in the placebo group. This double-blind, randomized controlled study directly links vitamin D to improved cognitive function, highlighting vitamin D supplementation as a means to unlock peak performance.
Exercise, vitamin D, and other brain optimization practices combat age-related neurological changes and dementia, but promise so much more. They are tools for building a healthier, resilient brain today and safeguarding its vitality in the future— the essence of neurolongevity.
Stay tuned for more brain optimization tips to guide and support you on your journey toward neurolongevity.
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