Can stretching your brain lower dementia risk as you age?

Can stretching your brain lower dementia risk as you age?

Engage Your Mind: The Key to Preventing Dementia

The Power of Mental Stimulation

“These findings highlight the types of activities which may be most beneficial to preserve cognitive health with aging.” – Joanne Ryan

Writing letters, taking classes, and playing mentally stimulating games like chess in your golden years could be the key to warding off dementia, suggests a new study conducted in Australia. The researchers discovered that engaging in activities such as journaling, using a computer, and participating in education classes, which they refer to as “literacy enrichment” activities, may reduce the risk of developing dementia by 11%. Similarly, playing games, cards, or chess, and solving crosswords or puzzles could lower the risk by 9%. These activities have an incredible potential to preserve cognitive health and keep mental decline at bay as we age.

The World of Artistic Activities

“Other activities linked to a lower risk of dementia included artistic activities, such as craftwork, woodwork or metalwork, and painting or drawing.” – Joanne Ryan

Artistic activities have also proven to be effective in reducing the risk of dementia. Engaging in craftwork, woodwork, metalwork, painting, or drawing can contribute to maintaining cognitive function and preventing mental decline. These creative pursuits stimulate the brain, keeping it active and reducing the likelihood of developing dementia. Even passive activities like reading, watching television, and listening to music or the radio can help preserve cognitive health, albeit to a lesser extent.

Building Cognitive Reserve

“These activities likely help maintain and build neural networks in the brain, and through these activities, we can develop new knowledge and new ways of thinking about things, which we refer to as building cognitive reserve.” – Joanne Ryan

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Participating in mentally stimulating activities helps build cognitive reserve, which can enable individuals to maintain good cognitive function even in the face of conditions such as Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia. By engaging in these activities, individuals can develop compensatory mechanisms that delay the onset of dementia. The brain’s neural networks are strengthened and expanded through active mental engagement, creating a reserve that can defer the effects of cognitive decline. It is important to note that these activities may not completely prevent dementia, but they have the potential to delay its onset.

Exploring the Possible Reasons

“Although we accounted for things like differences in education and socioeconomic status, as well as health status, it is possible that people who engage regularly in these mental activities are different in other ways that we haven’t been able to account for, which explains why they have reduced dementia risk.” – Joanne Ryan

While these activities have shown promise in reducing dementia risk, it is essential to consider other factors that may contribute to these findings. The study’s lead researcher, Joanne Ryan, points out that individuals who engage regularly in mentally stimulating activities may possess certain characteristics or engage in other behaviors that have not been accounted for in the research. However, despite the uncertainty surrounding the exact causative relationship between these activities and dementia prevention, there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that staying mentally active can optimize cognitive health.

The Gerontologist’s Perspective

“Even plaque buildup may slow over time if you continue to do these cognitive activities that use the brain.” – Dr. Theodore Strange

Dr. Theodore Strange, Chairman of Medicine and a gerontologist at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City, emphasizes the importance of keeping the brain active to maintain its health. Engaging in activities such as solving crosswords, participating in artistic pursuits, or playing musical instruments can help reduce the risk of transitioning into dementia. While the mechanism behind how mental activity protects the brain remains unclear, it is evident that maintaining an active and stimulating lifestyle is crucial for sustaining cognitive function as we age.

Study Details

The study conducted by Joanne Ryan and her colleagues collected data from over 10,300 men and women, with a median age of 74. These participants were relatively healthy and were part of the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons. The data collected from March 2010 through November 2020 allowed the researchers to examine participants’ lifestyles and identify who developed dementia¹. The findings of this study were published online on July 14, 2023, in JAMA Network Open.

Engaging your mind through activities that stimulate and challenge your cognitive abilities provides tremendous benefits in preventing dementia. Taking the time to write letters, learn new skills, play games, and explore artistic activities may foster cognitive health, build cognitive reserve, and delay the onset of dementia. So, let’s embrace the power of mental stimulation and embark on a journey of lifelong learning, creativity, and fun!

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