[One Day One Thousand Characters] Han Seolhee "Dementia is a Lifestyle Disease... Consistent Brain Stimulation Needed for Prevention"

Professor Han Seolhee, Department of Neurology, Konkuk University Hospital
Recognized as a Pioneer in Dementia Research in Korea

"Maintaining Healthy Lifestyle Habits Lifelong is Key to Prevention"
Consistent Exercise, Study, and Networking Required

"Concerns are rising that dementia incidence among the elderly will increase due to reduced outdoor activities caused by COVID-19. Since dementia is a disease related to lifestyle habits, it can be prevented by consistently stimulating the brain through exercise, studying, and social activities."

Professor Han Seol-hee, a leading dementia specialist at Konkuk University Medical Center, has repeatedly emphasized that dementia is a 'lifestyle disease.' She said, "Almost every part of the day is related to brain health," adding, "The factors causing dementia do not suddenly appear but accumulate gradually from the 40s and manifest as dementia in the 60s or 70s, so it is essential to maintain healthy lifestyle habits throughout life."

Regarding sleep, she explained, "It is not only for fatigue recovery but also a process of consolidating experiences by retaining what is necessary and discarding what is unnecessary from the day's experiences." She added, "If you do not sleep properly, memory problems can arise, and waste products in the brain that are washed away during deep sleep can accumulate chronically." She also recommended the 'Mediterranean diet' for eating habits, saying, "You should consume foods rich in unsaturated fatty acids and avoid meat or prepare it by boiling to remove fat."

Professor Han Seol-hee, a leading expert on dementia, Department of Neurology, Konkuk University Medical Center. Photo by Huh Young-han younghan@

She also mentioned the importance of exercise. Professor Han said, "At first glance, one might wonder what walking has to do with brain health," and explained, "Walking briskly enough to get slightly out of breath increases cerebral blood flow and promotes the secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which helps maintain memory center cells and supports the growth of new nerve cells."

This method is also something Professor Han personally practices in daily life. She especially recommends getting off one station before or after your usual stop as a form of daily exercise. She said, "Besides increasing the number of steps, it trains spatial perception," adding, "Training by approaching from different directions rather than always taking the same route helps improve spatial perception." She also shared research findings that people who have been taxi drivers for a long time have larger memory centers in their brains.

Seoul Walking, Sangam-dong DMC Panorama. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

In this context, she expressed concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic over the past few years might increase the number of dementia patients. Professor Han said, "Due to restrictions on going outside during COVID-19, physical activity decreased, and obesity increased," adding, "There is a possibility that the number of dementia patients, especially among the elderly who were unable to be active, will sharply increase."

Professor Han also emphasized stress management and active social networking activities as ways to prevent dementia, particularly highlighting education. She said, "The brain needs to be stimulated," and added, "Studying foreign languages uses brain areas that may never have been used before, and writing a daily journal can help structure the brain." For those who find it difficult to develop the habit of journaling, she recommended starting by simply writing one line about what happened in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Regarding transcription, she said, "Since it is a cooperative exercise involving both the brain and hands, it helps improve attention," and added, "If done enjoyably without stress while understanding the content, it can improve memory."

Pioneer in Dementia Research in Korea... Clinical Trials of Diabetes and Obesity Drugs for Dementia Treatment

Professor Han is a leading figure in dementia research in Korea, having studied dementia even before the disease was widely recognized domestically, and played a leading role in establishing the Korean Dementia Research Society, the predecessor of the Korean Dementia Association. She recalled, "The turning point was attending a lecture by Professor Takeshi Tabira from Japan, who was famous for dementia research during my fellowship," and said, "I heard that as Japanese society aged, what was previously considered natural aging became a major problem called dementia. I thought that as Korea's economy develops and aging progresses, the same problem would arise, which motivated me to start research."

She also pointed out that diabetes is emerging as an important cause in recent dementia research. Professor Han explained, "Since both diabetes and dementia are mainly influenced by age, aging itself was considered the cause," adding, "However, it has become known that insulin resistance caused by diabetes and the increase of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) lead to strong oxidative stress." She also added, "It is reported that about 20% of diabetic patients develop Alzheimer's dementia."

Professor Han Seol-hee, a leading expert on dementia, Department of Neurology, Konkuk University Medical Center. Photo by Huh Young-han younghan@

Regarding amyloid beta (Aβ) protein, known as a major cause of Alzheimer's dementia, she said, "Excess insulin in the body must be removed by insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), which also plays a role in removing Aβ," and explained, "If type 2 diabetes is not properly treated, Aβ accumulates and dementia appears, so some voices suggest calling dementia 'type 3 diabetes.'"

In fact, Professor Han is conducting clinical trials in Korea to develop 'semaglutide,' an ingredient in Novo Nordisk's diabetes and obesity drugs, as a dementia treatment. This ingredient is currently at the center of attention as the diabetes drug 'Ozempic' and the obesity drug 'Wegovy' are about to be launched domestically. Professor Han said, "Since brain inflammation is an important cause of both diabetes and Alzheimer's dementia, the idea started from the possibility of eliminating Aβ toxicity through this," and added, "We expect to be able to eliminate oxidative stress and neuroinflammation that occur after a significant accumulation of Aβ."