Feeding The Brain Curiosity Helps Delay Alzheimer’s, Study Says

July 1, 2014

Researchers across the world are finding new ways in which to tackle the very difficult challenge of new and innovative testing which might lead to a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. We’ve heard of recent large scale testing in regards to amyloid protein which is a hallmark of those living with Alzheimer’s disease. What if researchers tested something very basic: The more your brain is stimulated the less chance you’ll have of getting
Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

Researchers are doing just that as a recent study was published in JAMA Neurology. This study tested 1,995 people ages 70 to 89 without dementia living in Minnesota. They looked at their education and specific job occupations and their mid-to-late-life cognitive activity. The study found the more education a person had and the more challenging their job was, the higher a person’s memory was as they aged. Those people age 40 and older, who also engaged in higher levels of brain activities, also had greater memory levels as they aged.

The interesting statistic is those people with an average education and job complexity can delay the onset of dementia by 7.3 years compared to those people who had low levels of mental stimulation. Can it be something as simple as stimulating your mind? Researchers seem to believe this might be a clue to a delay of Alzheimer’s. “Keeping your brain mentally stimulated is a lifelong enterprise,” David Knopman, author and professor
of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN said. “If one can remain intellectually active and stimulated throughout one’s lifespan, that’s protective against late-life dementia. Staying mentally active is definitely good for your brain.”

There are many things you can do to keep yourself mentally engaged. Take educational courses at your local community college, play games online that challenge your brain or join groups such as a book club. Learn more about this study by clicking here.