Chronic stress contributes to cognitive decline and dementia risk – 2 healthy-aging experts explain what you can do about it

The probability of any American having dementia in their lifetime may be far greater than previously thought. For instance, a 2025 study that tracked a large sample of American adults across more than three decades found that their average likelihood of developing dementia between ages 55 to 95 was 42%, and that figure was even higher among women, Black adults and those with genetic risk.

Now, a great deal of attention is being paid to how to stave off cognitive decline in the aging…