Population Attributable Fractions (PAFs) indicated that physiological and biochemical markers were critical for preventing processing speed decline, while social and behavioral factors were most influential for visual episodic memory decline.

Unfavorable medical and psychiatric histories significantly impacted processing speed and visual episodic memory, with Hazard Ratios of 1.34 and 1.50 respectively for these declines.

The study emphasizes the necessity for targeted interventions to delay cognitive decline, particularly in middle-aged and older adults, by addressing these modifiable risk factors.

These findings are based on a comprehensive analysis of a large and diverse cohort, enhancing the understanding of cognitive decline and informing public health strategies for prevention.

A recent study utilizing data from the UK Biobank examined modifiable factors contributing to cognitive decline among a cohort of 453,950 individuals.

Cognitive decline was assessed across four domains: processing speed, verbal and numerical reasoning, visual episodic memory, and working memory, identifying the top 10% as the 'Cognitively At-Risk Population.'

The analysis revealed protective factors such as higher education, better socioeconomic status, and handgrip strength, while high body mass index (BMI), hypertension, and depression were linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline.

A total of 83 potential factors were analyzed, categorized into social/behavioral, physiological/biochemical, and medical/psychiatric histories, using Cox proportional hazards models to determine their impact on cognitive decline.