JUST how healthy is your brain? Scientists have developed a tool to assess just that, and it can help predict if you're at risk of having a stroke, dementia and depression in later life. Dubbed the ' Brain Care Score ' (BCS), the test assesses 12 modifiable physical, lifestyle and social-emotional factors. It looks at things like your blood pressure , diet, and whether you smoke or get enough sleep.
The higher your score on the 21-point scale, the better shape your brain is in and the lower your chances of brain disease. Depending on how you fare in different areas, doctors can then point patients to changes they can make to improve their brain health. Dr Jonathan Rosand, lead developer of the test and co-founder of the McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital, said: "The BCS is a simple tool designed to help anyone in the world answer the question, ‘What can I do to take better care of my brain?’ "We now have compelling evidence that raising your BCS is not only likely to make your brain healthier and more resistant to diseases like dementia and stroke, but that it also offers the hope of protection from depression.
"What's good for the brain is good for the heart and the rest of the body." The BCS measures blood pressure, cholesterol , hemoglobin A1c ( blood sugar levels ) and body mass index (BMI) to understand someone's physical health, while it looks at nutrition, alcohol consumption, exercise, sleep and smoking for their lifestyle. Most read.