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Donate NowAlzheimer’s Association Welcomes Updated WHO Dementia Risk Reduction Guidelines
— To be presented at AAIC for All, updated WHO guidance reflects a growing body of evidence on dementia risk reduction —
LONDON, July 15, 2026 — As dementia risk reduction research continues to advance, the World Health Organization (WHO) today released updated global guidelines — expanding the evidence base and the number of modifiable risk factors clinicians and health systems can act on. The second edition of the WHO guidelines on risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia builds on the 2019 edition, reflecting a field that has grown significantly in both scope and depth. The updated guidelines will be presented during AAIC for All: Clinicians on Wednesday, July 15, in London and online.The updated guidelines reflect a growing scientific consensus. The new edition adds recommendations in areas not covered in 2019 — including sleep, stroke, traumatic brain injury, vision impairment, HIV and exposure to air pollution — and incorporates the latest evidence on multidomain interventions that target multiple risk factors simultaneously.
“These guidelines send a clear signal to all of us and especially to health systems, clinicians and policymakers around the world: There are concrete, evidence-based steps people can take to support their brain health, and we have an obligation to reach more of them sooner,” said Heather M. Snyder, Ph.D., Alzheimer’s Association senior vice president of medical and scientific relations. “The science is advancing. Now the work is making sure that guidance reaches people when they can still act on it.”
The Association has been actively building the evidence base that informs recommendations like those in the WHO guidelines. The U.S. POINTER clinical trial — led and funded by the Alzheimer’s Association and leading scientists around the country — demonstrated that a structured multidomain lifestyle program combining physical activity, nutrition, cognitive and social engagement, and heart health monitoring improved cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. Results were published in JAMA in July 2025 and are consistent with the WHO guidelines’ emphasis on multidomain interventions as a meaningful strategy for reducing dementia risk.
“Guidelines of this scope reflect a field that has matured — and a body of evidence that has earned them,” said Sheena Aurora, M.D., Alzheimer’s Association vice president of medical affairs. “For clinicians, this is an opportunity to have more informed, actionable conversations with patients about their brain health — and the Alzheimer’s Association is committed to giving clinicians the tools to do that. We are currently developing a U.S.-focused clinical practice guideline on risk reduction, expected in 2027, that will translate this global evidence into practical guidance tailored to the realities of American health care.”
The Association views the WHO guidelines as a critical step in a longer arc of progress. Research shared this week at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®) 2026 continues to reinforce what the evidence is making increasingly clear: Brain health is a lifelong priority and the window for intervention is earlier than many people realize. The Association is committed to reaching more people with information they can act on, and to funding the research that will continue to expand what is possible.
More information about dementia risk reduction and brain health resources is available at alz.org.
About the Alzheimer's Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia®. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.
About AAIC
AAIC is the world’s largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer’s and other diseases that cause dementia. As a part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community.
- AAIC 2026: alz.org/aaic
- AAIC 2026 online pressroom: alz.org/aaic/pressroom.asp
- AAIC 2026 hashtag: #AAIC26