Healthy Lifestyles Mitigate Brain Disease Risks from Short Telomeres

New research from Mass General Brigham demonstrates that healthy lifestyle choices can mitigate the risk of stroke, dementia, and late-life depression associated with shortened telomeres, a biological marker of aging. Telomeres, which protect DNA and naturally shorten with age and environmental stress, have been linked to increased vulnerability to age-related brain diseases. Analyzing data from over 356,000 UK Biobank participants, the study found that individuals with shorter telomeres who maintained healthier behaviors—such as good sleep, diet, exercise, and low alcohol consumption—did not have an elevated risk of these diseases compared to those with longer telomeres. The findings highlight that lifestyle interventions can neutralize the negative effects of biological aging markers, underscoring the importance of brain health care regardless of age. Lead author Dr. Tamara Kimball emphasizes that it is never too late to adopt healthier habits to reduce brain disease risk. These results, published in Neurology, stress the urgent need for effective prevention strategies amid a rapidly aging global population.