What is Brain Health?

Brain health is shaped by what we do every day.

Find out what you can do today - your brain will thank you.

Your brain is part of everything you do.

Your brain helps you think, learn, remember, communicate, move, make decisions and connect with the people around you. Brain health describes how well your brain functions across all these areas throughout your life.

The World Health Organization defines brain health as the state of brain functioning across cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioral and motor domains that allows a person to realize their full potential over the course of a lifetime. Researchers also describe brain health as a lifelong, changing state that includes cognitive, emotional and physical functioning — and is shaped by both our individual experiences and the world around us

In other words, brain health is not simply the absence of Alzheimer’s disease or another neurological condition. It includes your ability to:

Think, learn and remember.

Manage emotions and respond to stress.

Communicate and maintain relationships.

Move safely and independently.

Participate in the activities that give your life meaning.

Just as there are steps you can take to support your heart, bones and overall well-being, there are healthy habits that may help protect your brain. Research suggests that staying physically active, managing health conditions, continuing to learn, eating well, sleeping well and remaining socially connected may reduce the risk of cognitive decline and possibly dementia.

Brain health is a lifelong journey.

Brain health matters at every age. Your early life experiences, your environment and your early health conditions can influence your brain years or even decades later. The good news is that it is never too early or too late to begin making choices that support your health.

No single habit can guarantee that someone will or will not develop Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Some risk factors, like your age and genetics, cannot be changed. But other factors can be addressed, and even small, realistic changes can contribute to better overall health.

The Illinois Brain Health Project — including the Your Brain Will Thank You campaign — is a partnership between the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter. The project helps Illinois residents learn about brain health and take practical, manageable steps to support it in everyday life.

Brain health is influenced by more than personal choices.

Healthy habits matter, but health does not begin and end with individual behavior.

Social determinants of health are the nonmedical conditions that shape people’s health and quality of life, such as the circumstances in which people are born, grow, learn, work, live, worship and age, as well as the broader systems that affect daily life.

These circumstances may influence whether a person has:

Access to affordable and nutritious food.

Safe places to walk, exercise and gather.

Quality education and opportunities for lifelong learning.

Reliable transportation.

Stable housing and employment.

Access to health care and health information.

Supportive relationships and a sense of belonging.

Protection from discrimination, chronic stress and environmental hazards.

These factors can affect dementia risk, exposure to modifiable risk factors and a person’s ability to take steps that support brain health. For example, it can be difficult to exercise regularly without access to a safe and accessible place to be active. Managing high blood pressure is harder without affordable health care. Staying socially engaged may be challenging for someone who lacks transportation or lives far from family, friends and local community resources.

That is why brain-health information must be relevant to people’s actual lives.

The things that make you uniquely you, like your experiences, culture, family, community and even your physical environment, should be considered when identifying realistic ways to support your healthiest brain possible. There is no single approach that will work equally well for every person or every community.

Building healthier communities for healthier brains.

The Illinois Brain Health Project works with diverse organizations across Illinois to connect brain health with everyday activities.

These partnerships make it possible to reach people where they already live, learn, work, gather and receive services. A brain-health activity might take place through a senior center, faith community, library, health clinic, neighborhood organization, caregiver program or local event.

By working together and considering the social conditions that affect health, we can help more people find practical and culturally relevant opportunities to support their brains.

A growing national commitment to brain health.

Brain health and dementia are increasingly recognized as public-health priorities. Several national initiatives provide research, funding, guidance and practical tools to help states and communities take action.

BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act

The Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act, commonly called the BOLD Act, supports a nationwide public-health approach to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The law directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to strengthen dementia-related public-health infrastructure and advance implementation of the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Maps.

BOLD funding supports state, local and community efforts related to risk reduction, early detection and diagnosis, caregiver support, data collection and health equity. Illinois’ brain-health work is supported in part through this national infrastructure.

Healthy Brain Initiative

The Healthy Brain Initiative, led by the CDC and the Alzheimer’s Association, helps make brain health a central part of public-health practice. It brings together partners and provides current science, resources and tools to promote brain health, address dementia and support people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Healthy Brain Initiative Road Maps

The Healthy Brain Initiative State and Local Road Map for Public Health translates national goals into actions that states and communities can take.

The current 2023–2027 Road Map outlines 24 actions to help public-health leaders promote brain health throughout life.  These include improving care for people living with cognitive impairment, supporting caregivers and advancing health equity. Its recommendations include strengthening partnerships, using data to guide decisions, educating the public and connecting community resources with clinical care.

A companion Road Map offers strategies developed specifically with and for American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Alzheimer’s Association Brain Health Advancement Institute™

The Alzheimer’s Association Brain Health Advancement Institute™ connects researchers, health care professionals, public-health practitioners and policymakers working to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia across all communities.

The Institute translates emerging brain-health science into practical education, tools and action. Its work helps ensure that new research can inform clinical care, public-health programs, policy and the choices people make in their daily lives.

Take one step for your brain today.

Supporting your brain does not require changing everything at once. Taking a walk, scheduling a health appointment, calling a friend, getting a good night’s sleep or trying something new can all be meaningful places to begin.

Choose a step that works for you, and remember that every healthy choice can support more than just your brain. Many of the same habits that promote brain health can also benefit your heart and body too.

Concerned about memory or thinking changes?

Changes in memory or thinking should not be dismissed as a normal part of aging. If you notice changes in yourself or someone you care about, speak with a health care professional.

You can also contact the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900 for confidential information, local resources, crisis assistance and support.

Sources

World Health Organization. “Brain Health.” Brain health is described as functioning across cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioral and motor domains throughout life.
Chen, Y., et al. “A Concept Analysis and a Definition for Brain Health.” Global Brain Health Institute, 2021. The authors define brain health as a lifelong, dynamic state involving cognitive, emotional and motor domains supported by physiological processes.
Gorelick, P.B., and Sorond, F.A. “What Is Brain Health?” The Lancet Neurology, 2024; online publication 2023. The authors examine definitions and core components of brain health, including cognitive and functional health, mental well-being and quality of life.
Alzheimer’s Association. “Causes and Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease.” Research indicates that healthy habits may benefit brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and possibly dementia.
Illinois Department of Public Health. “Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias.” Information on Illinois’ public-health efforts to strengthen dementia capability, promote brain health and support individuals, families and caregivers.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Social Determinants of Health.” SDOH are the nonmedical factors and conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, worship and age that influence health outcomes.
Alzheimer’s Association. “Dementia Risk Reduction and Public Health.” Social determinants affect dementia risk, modifiable risk factors and people’s ability to address those risks.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act.” The BOLD Act promotes implementation of the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Maps and strengthens public-health infrastructure for Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “National Healthy Brain Initiative.” The initiative provides science, tools and partnerships to promote brain health and address the needs of people living with dementia and caregivers.
Alzheimer’s Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy Brain Initiative: State and Local Road Map for Public Health, 2023–2027.
Alzheimer’s Association. “Brain Health Advancement Institute™.” The Institute serves professionals working to advance brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.