Abstract

 

Lifestyle and the brain - findings from The Maastricht Study

Evolving evidence suggests that a healthy lifestyle reduces one's lifetime risk for dementia. While evidence from multidomain lifestyle RCTs is still mixed and methodologies vary widely, observational evidence is very consistent, shows high analogies with other ageing-related disorders and appears biologically plausible. The Maastricht Study is a rich resource for studying determinants of cognitive function and brain damage and their underlying pathways through its thorough assessment of a wide range of exposures and outcomes. In this presentation, research into the relation between health and lifestyle factors with cognition and brain integrity markers within The Maastricht Study from the past five years will be shown.
 

Bio

Seb Köhler studied neuropsychology and epidemiology and received a PhD in Psychiatry from Maastricht University in 2009. He is an professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology and a principal investigator at the School for Mental Health and Neuroscience and the Alzheimer Center Limburg at Maastricht University Medical Center+. He leads the epidemiological research into risk and protective factors for dementia. His group translates the scientific evidence into individual and public health interventions. Seb is a member of the Management Board of The Maastricht Study with a special interest in the association between lifestyle factors and brain health.