As the onset of dementia increases following population ageing, primary prevention for dementia has become a key do-main for research and intervention. In this regard, a recent study by Masanori Morikawa and colleagues argues that staying active and participating in community life can be beneficial to reduce the risk of developing dementia. This study in Japan followed a group of older adults for 12 months to see if community involvement could help prevent dementia. They divided the adults into two subgroups of 845 people each: those who participated in a community going-out program and those who didn't. After a year, they found that the group who participated in the program was 3% less likely to develop dementia during this period. Masanori Morikawa and colleagues mainly trace this reduced incidence of dementia in the benefits that people can draw from physical activity when going out in the community.
They also point out that limited opportunities to go out among older people can impact their social engagement and increase their likelihood of developing depression as a result of social isolation, which can deteriorate cognitive function. Meanwhile, the researchers present some limitations to their study. Namely, this study is based on observations, rather than a randomised control trial. However, as the researchers note, this study is unique because it is the first one investigat-ing the frequency of dementia onset within community-based interventions. Overall, this study suggests that staying con-nected with your community can be good for your brain health. It also indicates how beneficial community initiatives for older people can be in promoting physical activity, preventing social isolation, depression, and dementia. The publication can be accessed here: