Why do discussions about ‘brain health’ ignore mental illness?

Summary: When we talk about "brain health," we usually mean preventing diseases like Alzheimer's. But we often ignore mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. This is a huge mistake! Mental illness acts like constant stress that wears down your brain, making it much more likely to develop dementia later in life.

Ignoring mental health while trying to save memory is like treating heart disease but ignoring high blood pressure. The brain and the mind are one connected system. We need to treat mental illness early with the exact same serious science and funding we use for Alzheimer's.

Source: STAT News URL: statnews.com/2026/04/28/brain-health-mental-illness-neurodegenerative-disorders-connection/ (opens in new tab)