Could your neighbourhood impact your dementia risk? Study says yes

People living in areas surrounded by greenery may have a lower risk of dementia, according to a new study. Having more green space close to home was linked to a 20% lower risk of developing dementia in a new study by Stockholm University and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. “This highlights the immediate environmental surroundings of the home as an important piece in creating conditions that support brain health and healthy ageing," says Cecilia Stenfors, research leader and co-first author of the study. The study, published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, included nearly 3,000 participants who were followed for 16 years. The researchers mapped the amount of vegetation around participants’ homes. They also tracked their cognitive health and the development of dementia over time. They found that living closer to green space seemed to have a protective effect against dementia. The association was strongest for greenery in the area closest to the home, within 100 metres, and weakened as the distance from home to green zones grew. How does this protection work? The authors pointed to several reasons why dementia risk may be affected by green space. These range from direct factors such as stress relief to the facilitation of health-related behaviours, including better sleep, physical activity, and social stimulation and cohesion. “Natural environments and greenery can support psychological restoration, reduce stress and enhance feelings of well-being,” said Stenfors. Green spaces may also support health indirectly by shielding people from hazardous environmental exposures such as traffic noise, air pollution and extreme heat, the authors wrote. Considering brain health in urban planning In 2025, an estimated 9 million people were living with dementia in the European Union, and that figure is projected to grow to over 14 million by 2050. According to the authors, this growing number highlights the need for new strategies such as sustainable urban planning that supports brain health. “Brain health needs to be considered when we plan and develop our cities and residential environments,” said Stenfors. “Greenspace around our homes can be a shared resource for public health, climate adaptation and biodiversity,” she added. To achieve this, it is important both to protect existing vegetation and to create green environments that are accessible and usable for people with different needs and abilities, the authors noted. The environment’s impact on brain health has been gaining more attention in recent years. “The direct environment, but also the broader environment in terms of housing organisation, has an impact on your sleep and overall also on your brain health,” neurologist Ulf Kallweit, who is also a co-chair of the environmental influences task force at the European Academy of Neurology, told Euronews Health.