A new study, conducted by a global coalition of dementia experts, in collaboration with the Women’s Brain Foundation (WBF), has expanded the list of dementia risk factors first identified by the 2024 Lancet Commission. Published in The Lancet E-BioMedicine, the paper “Broadening dementia risk models: building on the 2024 Lancet Commission report for a more inclusive global framework” challenges current understanding of dementia prevention and calls for a broader, more equitable approach. The 2024 Lancet Commission report identified 14 modifiable risk factors that could prevent around 45% of global dementia cases. This new study builds on that model by incorporating four additional, often overlooked drivers, such as poverty, wealth shocks, income inequality, and HIV infection rates. By integrating these factors, while also considering the influence of sex and gender, the authors demonstrate that up to 65% of dementia cases may be preventable. This recalibration not only reflects global epidemiological patterns but also underscores the urgent need for dementia prevention strategies that account for women’s health realities. The findings emphasize that current dementia prevention frameworks—largely based on high-income country data—miss key socioeconomic and gendered dimensions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where dementia rates are projected to rise fastest.
