Brain health isn’t just an issue of old age, it begins in early childhood and requires care through every stage of life. On World Brain Day (July 22), observed this year under the theme ‘Brain Health: Access for All’, CE speaks to neurologists about protecting the brain from childhood through adulthood and into the senior years.
Building healthy brains
Dr Ranjith G, consultant neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Financial District, says, “The first five years are crucial because the brain develops rapidly through nutrition, responsive parenting, adequate sleep, play, and a stimulating environment. Talking, reading, singing, and positive interactions strengthen neural connections, while chronic stress, malnutrition, infections, and neglect can negatively affect learning, behaviour, and overall brain development.”
One growing concern is excessive screen exposure. “Excessive screen time, especially in children under five, is linked to delayed language development, shorter attention span, poorer sleep, and reduced social interaction. High-quality educational content, limited screen exposure, and active parental engagement help minimise risks while supporting healthy cognitive and emotional development,” he says.
Parents should also pay close attention to developmental milestones. Delayed speech, poor eye contact, limited social interaction, frequent falls, abnormal movements, loss of previously acquired skills, or persistent learning difficulties should not be ignored. “Early diagnosis and intervention significantly improve long-term developmental and neurological outcomes,” he adds.
Beyond limiting screen time, he recommends simple everyday habits: “Parents should encourage daily physical activity, regular sleep, balanced nutrition, reading, storytelling, creative play, and meaningful conversations. Outdoor play, social interaction, positive family bonding, consistent routines and a nurturing home environment are essential for healthy brain growth.”
The overworked brain
Stress has become an unavoidable part of modern work life, but Dr Ramakrishna Chowdhary Y, HOD, neurosurgery at Arete Hospitals, says chronic stress without recovery can gradually affect brain function. “A certain amount of stress helps us stay alert and productive. The problem begins when there’s no opportunity for the brain to recover. If someone is constantly juggling deadlines, sleeping poorly and living under pressure for months, concentration, memory and emotional control naturally begin to suffer,” he notes.
Many young adults complain of ‘brain fog’ and forgetfulness. “In many cases, this isn’t because the brain is failing — it’s because it is exhausted,” he explains. Poor sleep, excessive work hours, constant digital stimulation and emotional stress are often responsible, and symptoms usually improve when these factors are corrected. However, worsening memory problems that interfere with daily life or occur alongside headaches, seizures, weakness, speech or behavioural changes require medical evaluation.
Sleep, he stresses, is the brain’s maintenance period, when memories are consolidated and waste products cleared. Chronic sleep deprivation, combined with sedentary lifestyles and long working hours, also contributes to hypertension, diabetes and obesity — major risk factors for stroke and cognitive decline. “The brain relies on a healthy network of blood vessels for oxygen and nutrients. High blood pressure and diabetes damage these vessels over time, and we’re increasingly diagnosing these conditions in people in their thirties and forties,” he says.
His advice is straightforward: “Don’t compromise on sleep. Stay physically active. Know your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Choose fresh, home-prepared meals over processed foods, and make time to disconnect from work. Small, sustained lifestyle choices made in our thirties and forties often determine how well the brain functions decades later.”
Ageing well
Occasional forgetfulness is a normal part of ageing, but Dr S K Jaiswal, clinical director and HOD – neurology at Care Hospitals, Banjara Hills, says dementia is very different. He explains, “If a person frequently forgets important events, repeats the same questions, gets confused in familiar places, struggles with daily activities, or shows changes in behaviour or personality, it should not be ignored. Dementia is not a normal part of ageing.”
As India’s population ages, doctors are seeing more cases of dementia, parkinson’s disease and stroke, alongside lifestyle conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity and heart disease that increase neurological risk.
The good news, says Dr Jaiswal, is that prevention is possible at any age. He also highlights the crucial role of families in recognising early warning signs and supporting treatment through medication adherence, healthy meals, follow-up visits and encouraging physical and mental activity.
Above all, he urges people to stop dismissing memory loss as an inevitable consequence of ageing. He concludes, “While ageing can bring some changes in memory, severe memory problems, confusion or difficulty carrying out everyday tasks should never be ignored. Many brain conditions can be treated or managed better if they are detected early.”