Everyone fears dementia. Fight back with these research-backed habits you can try today.

Riding bulls will not preserve your brain. But watching them might. UAB researcher David Vance will explain. This is not David Vance’s first rodeo. A few years ago, when bull riders were coming to town, the UAB School of Nursing professor decided to go see the show. “That way, I’d always be able to say, ‘This isn’t my first rodeo!’” he recalled with a laugh. The outing was more than a joke, however. Vance, who is associate dean for research and scholarship in the school, has spent the past several decades studying ways to keep the brain healthy as it ages. He has published on electrical brain stimulators, binaural beat technology, testosterone replacement, psychostimulants, smell tests and computer games. With the notable exception of computer brain training (much more below), he has found that tech doesn’t have much of an effect. But relatively simple things, like staying open to new experiences, can have a surprisingly large impact. “Years of education, leisure time activities, job complexity — all of that is part of your enriched environment,” Vance said. “The basic message is you don’t want to live the same day every day. You want to live a different day every day.” David Vance knows healthy changes are difficult. But he’s seen the proof that his "cognitive prescriptions" can improve brain function even in old age. "You can change behavior," he said. "You just have to be very specific with your goals to see behavior changes.” Routines help build habits; but stay in them too long and your brain will be on automatic pilot. That’s the sign of a poorly stimulating environment. So, take a new route to work. Be open to new experiences. Brush your teeth with the opposite hand. “There’s a whole field of research on personality and cognition,” […]

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