McCance Brain Care Score

Overview

Originally developed by the team at the McCance Center for Brain Health, the McCance Brain Care Score™ (BCS) is a science-backed tool designed to measure and improve brain health. The BCS focuses on three main areas of risk factors: social-emotional, physical and lifestyle.

We know that certain adjustments can reduce the risk of stroke, dementia, depression, and other brain diseases. Yet, unlike heart care and cancer prevention, brain care has traditionally not been considered in preventative health. For example, treating high blood pressure is one of the best ways to prevent both stroke and dementia, but, according to the CDC, only about a quarter of American adults with high blood pressure have it under control.

Designed to be implemented in health care settings anywhere, the BCS™ compiles the science-supported lifestyle choices that protect our brains from disease all in one place. A personalized McCance Brain Care Score™ is made up of three categories – Physical, Lifestyle, and Social Emotional – and it measures what one is already doing to protect their brain and prolong their brain health – exercise, sleep, social interactions, lowering blood pressure and more. Every component can be easily reviewed

Categories

Physical: blood pressure, blood sugar, total cholesterol, and BMI are typically recorded by a medical professional or with an approved self-use device. Working with a health care provider to improve these numbers over time can impact the BCS TM.

Lifestyle: diet, alcohol intake, smoking, exercise, and sleep are all measures one can track. Making small adjustments in one area or another over time can have a big impact on the BCS TM

Social Emotional: It has been a long-held belief that stress and relationships can influence our physical health, and modern science has proven this to be true. These components include management of stress, strength of social relationships, and overall sense of purpose and meaning in life. These are the honest “how are you doing” questions that are so critical to the assessment of brain health.

Research projects

The McCance Brain Care Score™ is a multi-dimensional care tracker, supported by extensive science, that empowers you to take better care of your brain health.

1. Brain Care Score Strongly Correlates with Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Three Most Common Cancers Worldwide
   6/6/2025: Study from researchers at Mass General Brigham shows McCance Brain Care Score strongly correlates with risk of cardiovascular disease and three most common cancers worldwide
2. 17 factors affect your risk for dementia, stroke and depression, study suggests
   4/4/2025: CNN reports on study that informs the existing Brain Care Score, developed in 2023 at the McCance Center for Brain Health at MGH to help people gauge and manage risk for dementia or stroke
3. What Is a Brain Care Score?
   3/10/2025: McCance-affiliated faculty, Christopher D. Anderson, MD, MSc, weighs in on the Brain Care Score in this American Brain Foundation piece