{"id":71265,"date":"2026-03-20T06:17:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T13:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/?p=71265"},"modified":"2026-03-25T12:44:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T19:44:55","slug":"to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/","title":{"rendered":"To reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk, focus on overall health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero no-image\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      <div class=\"image-video\">\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--ambient-video\">\n\n    \n  <video\n    preload=\"none\"\n    role=\"presentation\"\n    tabindex=\"-1\"\n    loop\n    playsinline\n    muted\n  >\n    <source src=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Trojan_Alzheimer-3-1.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\">\n  <\/video>\n\n\n<\/div>\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"\"\n                              class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n      \n                \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--info-controls \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--info-controls\"\n    \n      >\n\n      <div class=\"buttons single-button\">\n    \n            \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--video-controls \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--video-controls\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"video-controls\">\n  <div class=\"video-controls-inner\">\n    <button aria-label=\"Pause Background Video\" class=\"video-button video-pause-button\">\n      <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\"\n          viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n          <title>Pause Background Video<\/title>\n        <path fill=\"#FFF\" d=\"M13.3,12.6h2.8v10.5h-2.8V12.6z M18.9,23.1h2.8V12.6h-2.8V23.1z\"\/>\n      <\/svg>\n    <\/button>\n\n    <button aria-label=\"Play Background Video\" class=\"video-button video-play-button\">\n      <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\"\n        y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n        <title>Play Background Video<\/title>\n      <polygon fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#FFFFFF\" points=\"22.5,17.5 14.5,22.5\n        14.5,12.5 \"\/>\n      <\/svg>\n    <\/button>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n  \n  <\/div><\/div>\n          <\/div>\n  \n\n    \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n\n    <span class=\"title\">\n      Share\n    <\/span>\n\n    \n      \n    \n      \n        <a class=\"a2a_button_facebook\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#facebook\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" aria-label=\"Facebook(link is external)\">\n          <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_facebook\">\n            <svg enable-background=\"new 0 0 19 19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n              <path d=\"m18 0h-17c-.5 0-1 .5-1 1v17c0 .6.5 1 1 1h9.1v-7.3h-2.4v-2.9h2.5v-2.1c0-2.5 1.5-3.8 3.7-3.8.7 0 1.5 0 2.2.1v2.6h-1.5c-1.2 0-1.4.6-1.4 1.4v1.8h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.5v7.3h4.9c.6 0 1-.5 1-1v-17c0-.5-.5-1-1-1z\" fill=\"#990000\"\/>\n            <\/svg>\n          <\/span>\n        <\/a>\n\n      \n    \n      \n        <a class=\"a2a_button_twitter\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#twitter\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" aria-label=\"X (link is external)\">\n          <svg width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n            <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M9.5 12.2002L8.7 11.1002L2.4 2.1002H5.1L10.2 9.4002L11 10.5002L17.6 19.9002H14.9L9.5 12.2002ZM11.9 9.4002L19.3 0.700195H17.5L11 8.2002L6 0.800196H0L7.8 12.2002L0 21.2002H1.8L8.6 13.3002L14.1 21.2002H20.1L11.9 9.4002Z\" fill=\"#990000\"\/>\n          <\/svg>\n        <\/a>\n\n      \n    \n      \n        <a class=\"a2a_button_linkedin\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#linkedin\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" aria-label=\"LinkedIn (link is external)\">\n          <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_linkedin\">\n            <svg enable-background=\"new 0 0 19 19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n              <path d=\"m15.4 0h-11.8c-2 0-3.6 1.6-3.6 3.6v11.8c0 2 1.6 3.6 3.6 3.6h11.8c2 0 3.6-1.6 3.6-3.6v-11.8c0-2-1.6-3.6-3.6-3.6zm-9.6 15.9h-2.8v-8.6h2.8zm-1.5-9.7c-1 0-1.6-.6-1.5-1.5 0-.9.6-1.5 1.6-1.5.9 0 1.5.6 1.5 1.5s-.6 1.5-1.6 1.5zm11.7 9.7h-2.7v-4.6c0-1.2-.5-2-1.5-2-.9 0-1.4.5-1.5 1-.1.2-.1.5-.1.7v5h-2.8c0-7.8 0-8.6 0-8.6h2.8v1.2c.4-.6 1-1.5 2.5-1.5 2 0 3.3 1.2 3.3 3.8z\" fill=\"#990000\"\/>\n            <\/svg>\n          <\/span>\n        <\/a>\n\n      \n    \n      \n        <a class=\"a2a_button_email\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#email\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" aria-label=\"E-mail (link is external)\">\n          <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_email\">\n            <svg enable-background=\"new 0 0 20 13\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 13\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n              <path d=\"m20 1.3v.2 10c0 .8-.7 1.5-1.5 1.5h-17c-.8 0-1.5-.7-1.5-1.5v-10c0-.1 0-.1 0-.2l8.5 7.4c.9.8 2.2.8 3.1 0zm-9.5 6.2 8.5-7.4c-.1-.1-.3-.1-.5-.1h-17c-.2 0-.4 0-.6.1l8.5 7.4c.4.3.8.3 1.1 0z\" fill=\"#990000\"\/>\n            <\/svg>\n          <\/span>\n        <\/a>\n\n      \n    \n  <\/span>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"text-container\">\n    \n    \n          <span class=\"subtitle\"><p>Researchers across USC are studying how lifestyle and environment influence dementia risk and resilience. They\u2019re finding that what\u2019s good for the body is also good for the brain.<\/p>\n<\/span>\n    \n          <div class=\"meta\">\n                  <span class=\"date\">June 10, 2026<\/span>\n        \n                  <span class=\"author\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/tag\/rachel-b-levin\">Rachel B. Levin<\/a><\/span>\n              <\/div>\n    \n  <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2><em>USC United Against Alzheimer\u2019s: Collaborating in Research and Care<\/em><\/h2>\n<p><em>Alzheimer\u2019s disease is one of the most enigmatic brain afflictions and among the greatest health care challenges facing the nation. It affects more than 7 million Americans \u2014 a number projected to double by 2060. This article is the second in a series about how USC researchers and clinicians are making groundbreaking strides in the treatment, prevention and care of Alzheimer\u2019s. Read the first one <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/can-we-prevent-alzheimers-disease-within-a-decade\/\"><em>here<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p>In the lowland forests of northern Bolivia, along streams and rivers that snake toward the mighty Amazon, the indigenous Tsiman\u00e9 people live much as they have for centuries. Most of each day is spent securing food through hunting, fishing, foraging and tending small farms with hand tools. Large, multigenerational families live together in thatched-roof huts, forming the basis of close-knit villages that are relatively isolated from mainstream society.<\/p>\n<p>Alzheimer\u2019s disease and other dementias are virtually nonexistent among them.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/profile\/margaret-gatz\/\">Margaret Gatz<\/a> \u2014 professor of psychology at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and an expert on risk factors for Alzheimer\u2019s disease \u2014 is part of a <a href=\"https:\/\/tsimane.anth.ucsb.edu\/tsimaneinfo.html\">team of U.S. researchers and international collaborators<\/a> who have discovered that the Tsiman\u00e9 and the Moset\u00e9n (a related indigenous group) have among the <a href=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/some-of-the-worlds-lowest-dementia-rates-are-found-in-amazonian-indigenous-groups\/\">lowest rates of dementia in the world<\/a>. Only about 1% of older Tsiman\u00e9 and Moset\u00e9n people suffer from dementia, while 11% of people age 65 and older in the United States do.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_65854\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-65854\" style=\"width: 1125px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-65854\" src=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/TFM_AUT23_BrainAging_Thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Tsimane woman sitting on the ground with a child scooping out bananas\" width=\"1125\" height=\"563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/TFM_AUT23_BrainAging_Thumbnail.jpg 1125w, https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/TFM_AUT23_BrainAging_Thumbnail-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1125px) 100vw, 1125px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-65854\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">USC research finds that the daily lives of people in the indigenous Tsiman\u00e9 and Moset\u00e9n communities resemble those of pre-industrial societies and may provide clues for preventing heart disease and cognitive decline. (Photo\/Courtesy of Tsimane Health and Life History Project Team)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cStudying these groups in Bolivia gives us insight into risk and protective factors for Alzheimer\u2019s and other dementias we couldn\u2019t find anywhere else,\u201d says Gatz, senior scientist at the <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/cesr\/\">USC Center for Economic and Social Research<\/a> (CESR). \u201cWe\u2019re trying to think about what their lifestyles tell us about how cognitive impairment develops and, therefore, what the implications are for industrialized Western lifestyles.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>USC has long been a world leader in Alzheimer\u2019s research, with scientists across the university engaged in the full spectrum of discovery to battle this devastating disease. While a critical mass of USC researchers is on the cusp of being able to prevent <a href=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/can-we-prevent-alzheimers-disease-within-a-decade\/\">the brain changes that lead to Alzheimer\u2019s with advanced medications<\/a>, another set is focused on identifying environmental and lifestyle factors that contribute to Alzheimer\u2019s risk and resilience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBy understanding which risk factors for Alzheimer\u2019s disease are modifiable, we can delay the onset of the disease and reduce the burden on people, families and society,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/cesr\/profile\/jinkook-lee\/\">Jinkook Lee<\/a>, professor of economics at USC Dornsife and director of the Program on Global Aging, Health, and Policy at CESR.<\/p>\n<p>Alzheimer\u2019s disease is characterized by hallmark brain changes: plaques made of a protein called beta-amyloid, and tangles made of a protein called tau. Though the pathology manifests in the brain, \u201cthe strongest factors for reducing vulnerability to Alzheimer\u2019s disease are those affecting your overall physical health,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/faculty\/pike\/\">Christian Pike<\/a>, professor of gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. \u201cMy lab is thinking about Alzheimer\u2019s less as just a brain disease and more as a whole-body disease.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--quote-with-attribution \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--quote-with-attribution\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<blockquote>\n\n      <p>Studying these groups in Bolivia gives us insight into risk and protective factors for Alzheimer\u2019s and other dementias we couldn\u2019t find anywhere else.<\/p>\n  \n      <div class='attribution'>\n      <span>\n\n                  <p class='text1'>Margaret Gatz, professor of psychology at USC Dornsife and senior scientist at the USC Center for Economic and Social Research<\/p>\n        \n              <span>\n    <\/div>\n  \n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2><strong>Movement is a \u2018magic pill\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>In modern American life, securing food might involve cruising through the drive-thru or tapping a delivery app. But the Tsiman\u00e9, like our Paleolithic hunter-gatherer ancestors, <a href=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/tsimane-moseten-brain-aging\/\">expend a great deal of physical effort to meet their food needs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Research by <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/profile\/david-raichlen\/\">David Raichlen<\/a>, professor of biological sciences and anthropology at USC Dornsife, suggests that our brains and organ systems evolved to require a high level of physical activity to maintain their health. \u201cPhysical activity is about as close as we have to a magic pill because it benefits so many aspects of human physiology,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>All forms of exercise have benefits for brain health and are associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer\u2019s and other dementias. \u201cAny amount of exercise is better than none,\u201d Raichlen says. \u201cWhatever physical activity you really like to do, that\u2019s what you should do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Movement forms that incorporate slow, controlled breathing, such as yoga and tai chi, may be particularly beneficial for protecting the brain from Alzheimer\u2019s changes. <a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/faculty\/mather\/\">Mara Mather<\/a>, professor of gerontology at USC Leonard Davis, <a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/2023\/04\/20\/can-breathing-exercises-reduce-alzheimers-risk\/\">found that<\/a> 20 minutes of slow-paced breathing twice a day for four weeks is associated with decreases in beta-amyloid 40 and 42 in the blood \u2014 biomarkers for Alzheimer\u2019s brain changes. (You don\u2019t even need to move while slow breathing to <a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/2023\/04\/20\/can-breathing-exercises-reduce-alzheimers-risk\/\">reap these benefits<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>Exercise reduces inflammation in the body and brain and activates brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein that nourishes neurons. \u201cWith aging and in Alzheimer\u2019s disease, the production of BDNF starts to decline, and exercise can reactivate that,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/faculty\/constanza-cortes-phd\/\">Constanza Cortes<\/a>, assistant professor of gerontology at USC Leonard Davis.<\/p>\n<p>Cortes\u2019 lab is investigating how skeletal muscles communicate with the brain during exercise. In the development of Alzheimer\u2019s disease, the brain\u2019s ability to clear beta-amyloid and tau proteins is impaired, leading to their accumulation. Cortes compares these plaques and tangles to trash that builds up on city streets.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne of the exercise pathways that we\u2019re following reactivates the ability of the brain\u2019s \u2018trash trucks\u2019 to get to where they need to be and get rid of these accumulated proteins,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>In her lab\u2019s research, Cortes and her team have pinpointed messengers between the muscles and the brain that govern this response. They\u2019re working to develop what Cortes calls \u201cexercise in a pill\u201d: a drug that can mimic the activity of these messengers in humans. She envisions the drug being especially beneficial for older adults and others with mobility issues that impair their ability to exercise.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"main-gif-still\" style=\"display: none;\" src=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/USC-Trojan-Spot-2_web.png\" alt=\"Illustrated hand holding weights\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"main-gif-animated\" style=\"display: block;\" src=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/USC-Trojan-Spot-2.gif\" alt=\"Illustrated hand holding weights\" \/><\/p>\n<p><button id=\"animation-toggle\" class=\"source\">Stop Animation<\/button><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2><strong>Your brain on pollutants<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Los Angeles and other cities with mild weather year-round offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities. But in L.A. and other traffic-clogged regions, there\u2019s a confounding factor that can undercut the benefits of outdoor exercise for brain health: air pollution.<\/p>\n<p>Raichlen has found that exposure to even moderate amounts of air pollution while exercising cancels out the benefits of physical activity for dementia risk. Exercise increases respiration rate and the volume of air drawn into the lungs, allowing more of the tiny particles from tailpipe emissions to enter the brain.<\/p>\n<p>On days when the air quality report shows elevated pollution levels, Raichlen suggests exercising indoors with a HEPA filter to clear the air or wearing an N95 mask outside. Unfortunately, ambient air pollution can be hazardous for your brain whether you\u2019re exercising or not.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/faculty\/finch\/\">Caleb Finch<\/a>, University Professor emeritus of gerontology at USC Leonard Davis, and his collaborators have been at the forefront of uncovering <a href=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/your-brain-on-air-pollution\/\">the role air pollution plays in the development of Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a>. He and <a href=\"http:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/faculty\/jiu-chiuan-chen\/\">Jiu-Chiuan Chen<\/a>, associate professor of population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, found that older women who live in places with high levels of fine particulate matter are 81% more at risk for cognitive decline and <a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/2017\/01\/31\/air-pollution-may-lead-to-dementia-in-older-women\/\">92% more likely to develop dementia, including Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Further research by Chen and <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/faculty-search\/xinhui-wang\/\">Xinhui Wang<\/a>, assistant professor of research neurology at Keck School of Medicine, was the first to show that <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/news\/reducing-air-pollution-could-lower-dementia-risk\/\">improving air quality can decrease older women\u2019s likelihood of developing dementia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Women are nearly twice as likely to develop Alzheimer\u2019s as men. Compared with men with the disease, women who have Alzheimer\u2019s disease tend to have more severe pathology in their brains and worse cognitive decline.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cScientists used to think this was due to the fact that women live longer, so they have more opportunity to get the disease,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/faculty\/teal-s-eich-phd\/\">Teal Eich<\/a>, associate professor of gerontology at USC Leonard Davis. \u201cThat\u2019s shifting. We now think there are biological differences between men and women altering the course of the disease.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Eich is studying whether persistent organic pollutants, or POPs, play a role in women\u2019s heightened risk for Alzheimer\u2019s. POPs are man-made chemicals that resist degradation, build up in food chains and interfere with the body\u2019s hormonal systems. Eich\u2019s lab is measuring women\u2019s exposure to POPs during the menopausal transition and their effect on cognition, brain activity and blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--quote-with-attribution \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--quote-with-attribution\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<blockquote>\n\n      <p>What\u2019s good for your heart is good for your brain.<\/p>\n  \n      <div class='attribution'>\n      <span>\n\n                  <p class='text1'>David Raichlen, professor of biological sciences and anthropology at USC Dornsife<\/p>\n        \n              <span>\n    <\/div>\n  \n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2><strong>The cardiometabolic connection<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Exercising, eating a healthy diet and managing stress are cornerstones of cardiometabolic health, which refers to the functioning of the body\u2019s heart and blood vessels and its blood sugar and fat breakdown systems. When cardiometabolic health is compromised by conditions like heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, the likelihood of Alzheimer\u2019s increases. \u201cWhat\u2019s good for your heart is good for your brain,\u201d Raichlen says.<\/p>\n<p>Scientists have known for some time that chronic high blood pressure, especially in midlife, is a risk factor for Alzheimer\u2019s disease. Hypertension can damage, narrow and stiffen the brain\u2019s blood vessels, leading to reduced blood flow, brain shrinkage and an impaired ability to clear beta-amyloid plaques.<\/p>\n<p>But <a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/2025\/10\/29\/blood-pressure-brain-degeneration\/\">recent research<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/faculty\/daniel-nation-phd\/\">Daniel Nation<\/a>, professor of gerontology at USC Leonard Davis, reveals that as we age, keeping average blood pressure within the normal range may not be enough to protect the brain from injury. \u201cWith age-related stiffening of the arteries, you can end up with more variability in your blood pressure, so it\u2019s fluctuating from heartbeat to heartbeat,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>Nation\u2019s study found that blood pressure instability predicts future increases in tau and amyloid in the brain, as well as loss of tissue in brain regions critical for memory and cognition. His work points to the need for more widespread monitoring of blood pressure fluctuations, along with improved medications and strategies to control them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2><strong>Keeping your brain nimble<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>About 30% of older adults with enough beta-amyloid and tau in their brains to receive an Alzheimer\u2019s diagnosis never develop any declines in memory or thinking. This resilience is known as cognitive reserve: the brain\u2019s ability to improvise new neural pathways and function normally despite the presence of plaques and tangles. Challenging your brain with complex and stimulating physical, cognitive and social activities can help build cognitive reserve.<\/p>\n<p>Raichlen has found that the protective benefits of exercise are enhanced in physical activities that are cognitively engaging \u2014 for example, team sports like soccer and strategic games like tennis. \u201cPhysical activity during our evolutionary history was always cognitively engaged,\u201d Raichlen says, noting that hunting and foraging require spatial navigation, memory and executive function.<\/p>\n<p>Cognitive engagement also matters when you\u2019re seated at your desk or on the couch. Raichlen\u2019s research has shown that passive sedentary behavior such as watching TV makes dementia more likely, while active tasks like working at a computer decrease dementia risk.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/LbAXhq2XMzY?si=Yx21dv3zPCSvQ9Wn\">Research<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/faculty\/crimmins\/\">Eileen Crimmins<\/a>, University Professor of gerontology at USC Leonard Davis, revealed that <a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/2018\/04\/16\/education-can-hold-off-dementia-new-usc-led-study-finds\/\">educational attainment can be a buffer against dementia symptoms<\/a>. Older American adults with a college education enjoy a longer life expectancy and more years of healthy cognition than those with less formal schooling. Higher education strengthens neural connections, encourages lifelong learning and often leads to jobs involving greater cognitive engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2><strong>Exploring the \u2018exposome\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>While formal schooling is a boon for brain health in the United States and many other countries, it\u2019s worth noting that many Tsiman\u00e9 \u00ad\u2014 especially those in the older generation \u2014 lack formal education and literacy yet are resilient to dementia.<\/p>\n<p>Jinkook Lee is exploring environmental factors such as these at the <a href=\"https:\/\/gatewayexposome.org\/\">Gateway Exposome Coordinating Center<\/a> (GECC). The centralized hub gathers and shares data across a variety of disciplines and institutions to identify the <a href=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/usc-wins-25-million-grant-to-explore-alzheimers-exposome\/\">complex matrix, or \u201cexposome,\u201d of factors that affect risk and resilience to Alzheimer\u2019s and other dementias<\/a> across the life course.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe term \u2018exposome\u2019 captures not only environmental factors like chemical exposures, culture and social environment, workplaces and family settings, but also our experiences within such environments,\u201d Lee says.<\/p>\n<p>Investigating dementia risk factors within this multitude of circumstances allows researchers to tease apart nuances in the data. For example, \u201cin various high-income countries, obesity is considered an important Alzheimer\u2019s risk factor,\u201d Lee says. \u201cBut when we conducted research in low- and middle-income countries, obesity shows opposite association with Alzheimer\u2019s.\u201d That may be because in poorer countries, more affluent people are more likely to be obese, whereas in wealthier countries, the opposite is true, she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--quote-with-attribution \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--quote-with-attribution\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<blockquote>\n\n      <p>The term \u2018exposome\u2019 captures not only environmental factors like chemical exposures, culture and social environment, workplaces and family settings, but also our experiences within such environments.<\/p>\n  \n      <div class='attribution'>\n      <span>\n\n                  <p class='text1'>Jinkook Lee, professor of economics at USC Dornsife and director of the Program on Global Aging, Health, and Policy at CESR<\/p>\n        \n              <span>\n    <\/div>\n  \n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2><strong>Personalizing brain health<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Lee\u2019s research suggests that interventions for reducing Alzheimer\u2019s risk may not be \u201cone size fits all.\u201d That\u2019s true not only because of exposome variability but also because of variation in individual genetic makeup.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe risk factors you think of as environmental exposures or lifestyle habits may be more or less risky depending on genetics,\u201d Gatz says.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Pike found that <a href=\"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/2017\/06\/12\/poor-diet-plus-alzheimers-gene-may-fuel-disease\/\">a diet high in cholesterol, fat and sugar may influence the development of Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a> in the presence of a fairly common gene variant called APOE \u03b54, but not in the presence of the APOE \u03b53 variant.<\/p>\n<p>Roughly one in four people in the United States carries one copy of the APOE \u03b54 variant, which increases the risk of Alzheimer\u2019s by two or three times. People who have two copies of the variant \u2014 2% to 3% of the population \u2014 face eight to 12 times the risk for the disease.<\/p>\n<p>Pike is one of several USC researchers working to uncover strategies for APOE \u03b54 carriers to increase their resilience against Alzheimer\u2019s. His lab is exploring how sex hormones may protect the aging brain from the harmful effects of APOE \u03b54.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/faculty-search\/hussein-yassine\/\">Hussein Yassine<\/a><em>, <\/em>professor of neurology at Keck School of Medicine, founded the <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cpbh\/\">Center for Personalized Brain Health<\/a>, which includes a clinic and a research wing focused on Alzheimer\u2019s prevention for APOE \u03b54 carriers. The <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cpbh\/prevention-clinic\/\">prevention clinic<\/a> develops personalized lifestyle and health-promoting interventions to slow cognitive decline among this population.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur team members spend a significant amount of time with patients talking about blood pressure, cholesterol, medications, sleep, diet and exercise and give them the best evidence-based advice possible to reduce the risk of dementia,\u201d Yassine says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--quote-with-attribution \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--quote-with-attribution\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<blockquote>\n\n      <p>The greatest risk factor for developing Alzheimer\u2019s disease is simply getting old.<\/p>\n  \n      <div class='attribution'>\n      <span>\n\n                  <p class='text1'>Christian Pike, professor of gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology<\/p>\n        \n              <span>\n    <\/div>\n  \n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2><strong>Cutting dementia risk in half<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>This whole-body health approach to prevention reflects a growing consensus that modifying key risk factors for physical and psychological well-being can stop or slow the onset of Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n<p>In its most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thelancet.com\/journals\/lancet\/article\/PIIS0140-6736(24)01296-0\/abstract\">recent report<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thelancet.com\/commissions-do\/dementia-prevention-intervention-and-care\">Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention and care<\/a> \u2014 an international commission that includes <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/faculty-search\/lon-schneider\/\">Lon Schneider<\/a>, professor of psychiatry and the behavioral sciences at Keck School of Medicine \u2014 concluded that modifying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thelancet.com\/infographics-do\/dementia-risk\">14 risk factors<\/a> could prevent or delay nearly half of dementia cases worldwide.<\/p>\n<p>While many aspects of lifestyle and environment can be modified through individual choice, others \u2014 such as pollution levels \u2014 cannot be fully addressed without policy intervention. Even highly personal decisions, like whether to snack on candy or carrots, are influenced by socioeconomic and cultural factors such as access to fresh or processed foods.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s one universal threat to brain health that can\u2019t be eliminated by personal or collective action: aging.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe greatest risk factor for developing Alzheimer\u2019s disease is simply getting old,\u201d Pike says.<\/p>\n<p>While Alzheimer\u2019s brain changes can develop over a span of decades, symptoms of the disease typically do not appear until age 65 or later. After age 65, the risk of developing Alzheimer\u2019s doubles roughly every five years.<\/p>\n<p>No one can stop the march of time, but <a href=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/turn-back-the-clock-on-aging\/\">strategies that promote healthy aging<\/a> overlap with those that reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBeing physically active; being socially active; being cognitively active; learning new things; paying attention to your vascular health, like blood pressure management; paying attention to your metabolic health, especially around blood sugar and diabetes,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/atri.usc.edu\/faculty\/paul-aisen\/\">Paul Aisen<\/a>, founding director of the USC Epstein Family Alzheimer\u2019s Therapeutic Research Institute: \u201cThese are good steps that everybody can take to keep their brain as resilient as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Hussein Yassine is a co-founder of PeBRx, which is developing a drug targeting neuroinflammation in Alzheimer\u2019s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><script>window.onload = function() { jQuery(function($) { let animationsPaused = false; $('#animation-toggle').on('click', function() { animationsPaused = !animationsPaused; if (animationsPaused) { $(this).text('Start Animation'); $('#main-gif-animated').hide(); $('#main-gif-still').show(); } else { $(this).text('Stop Animation'); $('#main-gif-animated').show(); $('#main-gif-still').hide(); } }); }); };<\/script><\/p>\n<style>#animation-toggle { font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 1.4286; padding-right: 1.875rem; padding-left: 1.875rem; position: relative; display: inline-flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; letter-spacing: 0.10625rem; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; min-height: 3.125rem; border: 0.0625rem solid #000; border-radius: 0.625rem; color: #000; background-color: #fff; cursor: pointer; } @media (min-width: 1025px) { .f--image { display: block !important; } .f--image > figure img { display: none; } .f--image > figure img { display: none; } .f--image > figure figcaption { display: block; } } .f--ambient-video { margin-bottom: 10px !important; } .f--ambient-video > video { height: auto !important; max-height: none !important; }<\/style>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Researchers across USC are studying how lifestyle and environment influence dementia risk and resilience. They\u2019re finding that what\u2019s good for the body is also good for the brain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":71289,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[135],"tags":[380,130,424,1504,1580,1162,34,1204,1144,1188],"news_type":[1585,104],"class_list":["post-71265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","tag-alzheimers-disease","tag-faculty","tag-health-care","tag-health-sciences-news","tag-issue-1-2026","tag-rachel-b-levin","tag-research","tag-usc-dornsife","tag-usc-leonard-davis-school-of-gerontology","tag-usc-trojan-family-magazine","news_type-issue-1-2026","news_type-tfm-stories"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>To reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk, focus on overall health - USC Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Researchers across USC are studying how lifestyle and environment influence dementia risk and resilience.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"To reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk, focus on overall health\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Researchers across USC are studying how lifestyle and environment influence dementia risk and resilience.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"USC Today\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/usc\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-20T13:17:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-25T19:44:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5-Bratislav_USC_Part-2-\u2013-Understanding-Alzheimers-risk-and-resilience-\u2013-Lead.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"576\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Lilledeshan Bose\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@usc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@usc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Lilledeshan Bose\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e270c6b2f860ce36afe8afcbda6a147a\"},\"headline\":\"To reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk, focus on overall health\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-20T13:17:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-25T19:44:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":9,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/5-Bratislav_USC_Part-2-\u2013-Understanding-Alzheimers-risk-and-resilience-\u2013-Lead.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Aging - Alzheimer's Disease\",\"Faculty\",\"Health Care\",\"Health Sciences News\",\"Issue 1 2026\",\"Rachel B. Levin\",\"Research\",\"USC Dornsife\",\"USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology\",\"USC Trojan Family Magazine\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Health\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\\\/\",\"name\":\"To reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk, focus on overall health - USC Today\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/5-Bratislav_USC_Part-2-\u2013-Understanding-Alzheimers-risk-and-resilience-\u2013-Lead.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-20T13:17:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-25T19:44:55+00:00\",\"description\":\"Researchers across USC are studying how lifestyle and environment influence dementia risk and resilience.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/5-Bratislav_USC_Part-2-\u2013-Understanding-Alzheimers-risk-and-resilience-\u2013-Lead.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/5-Bratislav_USC_Part-2-\u2013-Understanding-Alzheimers-risk-and-resilience-\u2013-Lead.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1440,\"caption\":\"USC researchers are identifying environmental and lifestyle factors that contribute to Alzheimer\u2019s risk and resilience. (Illustrations\\\/Bratislav Milenkovic)\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"To reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk, focus on overall health\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/\",\"name\":\"USC Today\",\"description\":\"University of Southern California News\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"University of Southern California\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/PrimShield_Mono_RegUse_Card-Blk_RGB.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/PrimShield_Mono_RegUse_Card-Blk_RGB.png\",\"width\":796,\"height\":391,\"caption\":\"University of Southern California\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/usc\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/usc\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/uscedu\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/school\\\/3084\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/USC\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/today.usc.edu\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e270c6b2f860ce36afe8afcbda6a147a\",\"name\":\"Lilledeshan Bose\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f9d94ad944e42d4b2617db2a03292d4089543e8c78b0edba209ceb3d726063c0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f9d94ad944e42d4b2617db2a03292d4089543e8c78b0edba209ceb3d726063c0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f9d94ad944e42d4b2617db2a03292d4089543e8c78b0edba209ceb3d726063c0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Lilledeshan Bose\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"To reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk, focus on overall health - USC Today","description":"Researchers across USC are studying how lifestyle and environment influence dementia risk and resilience.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"To reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk, focus on overall health","og_description":"Researchers across USC are studying how lifestyle and environment influence dementia risk and resilience.","og_url":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/","og_site_name":"USC Today","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/usc\/","article_published_time":"2026-03-20T13:17:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-25T19:44:55+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5-Bratislav_USC_Part-2-\u2013-Understanding-Alzheimers-risk-and-resilience-\u2013-Lead.jpg","width":1024,"height":576,"type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Lilledeshan Bose","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@usc","twitter_site":"@usc","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/"},"author":{"name":"Lilledeshan Bose","@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/#\/schema\/person\/e270c6b2f860ce36afe8afcbda6a147a"},"headline":"To reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk, focus on overall health","datePublished":"2026-03-20T13:17:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-25T19:44:55+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/"},"wordCount":9,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5-Bratislav_USC_Part-2-\u2013-Understanding-Alzheimers-risk-and-resilience-\u2013-Lead.jpg","keywords":["Aging - Alzheimer's Disease","Faculty","Health Care","Health Sciences News","Issue 1 2026","Rachel B. Levin","Research","USC Dornsife","USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology","USC Trojan Family Magazine"],"articleSection":["Health"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/","url":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/","name":"To reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk, focus on overall health - USC Today","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5-Bratislav_USC_Part-2-\u2013-Understanding-Alzheimers-risk-and-resilience-\u2013-Lead.jpg","datePublished":"2026-03-20T13:17:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-25T19:44:55+00:00","description":"Researchers across USC are studying how lifestyle and environment influence dementia risk and resilience.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5-Bratislav_USC_Part-2-\u2013-Understanding-Alzheimers-risk-and-resilience-\u2013-Lead.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5-Bratislav_USC_Part-2-\u2013-Understanding-Alzheimers-risk-and-resilience-\u2013-Lead.jpg","width":2560,"height":1440,"caption":"USC researchers are identifying environmental and lifestyle factors that contribute to Alzheimer\u2019s risk and resilience. (Illustrations\/Bratislav Milenkovic)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/to-reduce-alzheimers-risk-focus-on-overall-health\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"To reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk, focus on overall health"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/#website","url":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/","name":"USC Today","description":"University of Southern California News","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/#organization","name":"University of Southern California","url":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PrimShield_Mono_RegUse_Card-Blk_RGB.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PrimShield_Mono_RegUse_Card-Blk_RGB.png","width":796,"height":391,"caption":"University of Southern California"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/usc\/","https:\/\/x.com\/usc","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/uscedu\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/3084","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/USC"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/#\/schema\/person\/e270c6b2f860ce36afe8afcbda6a147a","name":"Lilledeshan Bose","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9d94ad944e42d4b2617db2a03292d4089543e8c78b0edba209ceb3d726063c0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9d94ad944e42d4b2617db2a03292d4089543e8c78b0edba209ceb3d726063c0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9d94ad944e42d4b2617db2a03292d4089543e8c78b0edba209ceb3d726063c0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Lilledeshan Bose"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71265"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71566,"href":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71265\/revisions\/71566"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71289"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71265"},{"taxonomy":"news_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news_type?post=71265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}