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Are modifiable risk factors for dementia really modifiable?
Etuini Ma’u, Sarah J. Cullum, Susanne Röhr, Emerita Carol Brayne. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 2025-05-21
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The 2024 Lancet Commission estimates 45% of dementias worldwide are preventable if 14 potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia were eliminated. While this is unlikely, there is evidence that even modest risk factor reduction will have significant benefits. Whether this is best achieved at the level of the individual or broader population level approaches is the purpose of this review. RECENT FINDINGS: To date, evidence for the efficacy of individual-level interventions in preventing cognitive decline or dementia is modest at best. Reasons for this include the sociodemographic and risk profile of study participants and complex disease causes, while overlooking the underlying social and commercial determinants of health influencing risk exposure. There is, however, growing evidence supporting population-level approaches to dementia risk reduction. Trend studies from high-income countries showing declines in dementia incidence over recent decades suggest their effectiveness. SUMMARY: The limited evidence for the efficacy, let alone effectiveness, of individual-level interventions is in part because they operate within the influence of social and commercial determinants of health. For significant and sustained risk factor reduction, population-level interventions targeting the underlying determinants of risk factor exposure across the life course, with sensitivity to diverse contexts, are required.
Key findings
- While this is unlikely, there is evidence that even modest risk factor reduction will have significant benefits.
- For significant and sustained risk factor reduction, population-level interventions targeting the underlying determinants of risk factor exposure across the life course, with sensitivity to diverse contexts, are required.
Why it matters
This review argues that evidence for individual-level interventions to prevent cognitive decline or dementia is modest at best, while population-level approaches show growing support. It does not report a new treatment or cure, but suggests that reducing risk factors across whole populations may be more effective.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 32/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 31 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 32 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Current Opinion in Psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Current Opinion in Psychiatry: journal h-index 141 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Emerita Carol Brayne holds only 1 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Cambridge: institution h-index 1,973 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 4 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40423572) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 31 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 31 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 32 out of 100. |
| Total | 32 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Ma’u, E., Cullum, S. J., Röhr, S., & Brayne, E. C. (2025). Are modifiable risk factors for dementia really modifiable? Current Opinion in Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1097/yco.0000000000001018
Vancouver
Ma’u E, Cullum SJ, Röhr S, Brayne EC. Are modifiable risk factors for dementia really modifiable? Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 2025. doi:10.1097/yco.0000000000001018. PMID: 40423572.
BibTeX
@article{mau2025-40423572,
author = {Ma’u, Etuini and Cullum, Sarah J. and Röhr, Susanne and Brayne, Emerita Carol},
title = {{Are modifiable risk factors for dementia really modifiable?}},
journal = {Current Opinion in Psychiatry},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1097/yco.0000000000001018},
pmid = {40423572},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/yco.0000000000001018}
}
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