Exercise Your Mind To Help Prevent Dementia, Study ShowsSimple Tasks Can Be Key< July 2, 2003 >If you do not use your mind regularly through activities such as reading, doing puzzles, or playing a musical instrument, you risk losing some of your cognitive abilities as you age. That is the message from a new study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City found seniors who participated in mind-stimulating leisure activities had a lower risk of developing dementia, a decline in cognitive abilities or brain function. "Subjects whose levels were in the top third of the cognitive activity level had almost a 65 percent reduced risk of dementia," says study author Dr. Joe Verghese, an assistant professor of neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The researchers measured cognitive activity levels by asking 469 people over the age of 75 what leisure activities they participated in, and how often. All of the study participants lived in the Bronx, one of New York City's five boroughs. Participating in a cognitive-stimulating activity one day each week translated into one point on the cognitive activity level scale. Everyday Activities Aid Cognitive AbilitiesThe researchers asked about a variety of activities, including playing board games or cards, reading, writing for pleasure, playing a musical instrument, doing crossword puzzles, participating in group discussion, dancing, doing housework, walking, swimming, biking, baby-sitting, and participating in group exercise. The cognitive activities that showed the greatest risk reduction were reading, board games or cards, and playing a musical instrument. Writing and participating in group discussions did not reduce the risk of dementia. Physical activities, with the exception of dancing, did not appear to greatly reduce the risk of dementia. Every year, for an average of five years, the study participants were evaluated. During the study period, 121 of the 469 study volunteers developed dementia. By comparing those who developed dementia with those who did not, the researchers found that for one point on the cognitive activity level scale, there was a 7 percent reduction in the risk of dementia. People in the highest third had a score of 11 points or higher. Their risk of developing dementia was 63 percent lower than people who scored in the lowest third of the cognitive activity level scale. Dr. Verghese says the researchers were not able to include past history of these activities in this study. One reason people might have scored low on the cognitive activity level scale, according to Dr. Verghese, is that they could have the beginnings of dementia, but not show outward signs of the disease. To control for this possibility, Dr. Verghese and his colleagues re-examined the data, excluding anyone who developed dementia in the first seven years of the study, and the results still held true. Experts Say Study ConvincingDr. Joseph Coyle, who wrote an accompanying editorial in the NEJM, says this study provides a remarkable contrast to more complex dementia research that focuses on the specific changes that occur in the brain as dementia develops. Dr. Coyle says, after looking at previous research, it is hard to believe that something as simple as playing cards could ward off dementia. Nevertheless, he says, the results of this study are convincing. "Effortful mental activities may forestall the onset of dementia," says Dr. Coyle, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at Harvard Medical School. Exactly how it occurs is not yet known, he says. "Participating in these activities that use the brain may stimulate neurons to work around the damage associated with the early stages of dementia," he says. So for now, both experts say it is a good idea to engage in activities that stimulate your mind throughout your life. Always consult your physician for more information. |
For more information on health and wellness, please visit health information modules on this Web site. Dementia DefinedDementia refers to a group of symptoms that are caused by changes in brain function, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. Signs of dementia include changes in memory, personality, and behavior. Dementia makes it hard for a person to carry out normal daily activities. A person with dementia may ask the same questions repeatedly and get lost in familiar places. He or she may be unable to follow directions; be disoriented about time, people, and places; and neglect personal safety, hygiene, and nutrition. Older people with dementia were once called senile, and it was thought that becoming senile was just part of getting old. But dementia is not a normal part of aging. It is important to find out the cause of a person's dementia. Some causes of dementia can be treated. Others are due to irreversible changes in the brain. According to the American Psychological Association, although some healthy aging persons maintain very high cognitive performance levels throughout life, most older people will experience a deterioration in certain cognitive abilities. This parallels a decline in physiological function that occurs along with normal developmental processes. For some older persons, however, declines go beyond what may be considered "normal" and are progressive, robbing them of their memories and intellect. Always consult your physician for more information. Online Resources(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.) American Psychological Association Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) National Women's Health Information Center US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) |
