WCN 2021 | Targeting vascular risk factors to postpone cognitive impairment

Didier Leys, MD, PhD, FAAN, FEAN, University of Lille, Lille, France, outlines challenges associated with vascular risk factor treatment to postpone cognitive impairment. Usually, clinical trials evaluating treatments for vascular risk factors to prevent myocardial infarction and stroke are stopped when treatments show an effect. In addition, prevention trials end before there is an observable effect on cognition. Therefore, it is not possible to evaluate the effect on dementia, where a longer timeframe is required. Dr Leys explains that physical activity, as well as blood pressure and cholesterol level monitoring, are also important to prevent cognitive impairment. This interview took place during the XXV World Congress of Neurology.