Associations of the Lifestyle for Brain Health (LIBRA) index with cognitive functioning across adulthood: Variation by sex and socioeconomic status in the German National Cohort (NAKO)
Smoking, inactivity, and depression in young adults already linked to cognitive problems, suggesting early dementia prevention could start much earlier than expected.
In the German National Cohort (n=149,948), higher LIBRA index scores — reflecting more modifiable dementia risk factors — were independently associated with lower cognitive functioning across all age groups from 20-75 years. Behavioral risk factors (smoking, physical inactivity, depression) were already prevalent in young adults and associated with cognitive impairment, underscoring the importance of early, equity-oriented dementia prevention starting well before midlife.
What the study was
- Study design
- Cross-sectional population-based cohort study
- Population
- German National Cohort (NAKO) participants ages 20-75 (n=149,948)
- Sample size
- 149948
- Category
- Prevention
- Maturity
- Validated
- Journal
- Alzheimer's & Dementia
Why it surfaced
Large population-based cohort (n=149,948), high-quality design, important public health finding extending LIBRA dementia risk research to young adults and documenting SES variation. Alzheimer's & Dementia journal.
A plain-language summary of published research — not medical advice. Talk to a clinician about your own care.