Midlife vascular health linked to dementia-free years

A study led by NYU Langone Health, published in Neurology (journal) Open Access on August 5, 2026, analyzed data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC) study, following 12,409 dementia-free participants (average age 56) for an average of 26 years. The researchers found that having normal blood pressure, no diabetes, and not smoking between ages 45-65 was associated with nearly 13 additional years of dementia-free life compared to those with all three risk factors. Specifically, those with no risk factors lived an average of 30.1 years without dementia from age 55, while those with all three lived just over 17 years. The study also found that women lived longer without dementia than men, and white participants had more dementia-free years than Black participants. The findings underscore the importance of midlife vascular health in preserving cognitive function. Experts from Alzheimer s Research UK and Alzheimer s Society commented on the study, emphasizing the link between heart health and brain health. The study was supported by the United States — National Institutes of Health and involved researchers from multiple institutions including Tsinghua University, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and others.