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Participating in mentally stimulating activities throughout life could decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s by about 40%, according to research.
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A new study featured in the journal Neurology looked at the cognitive engagement of nearly 2,000 individuals.
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The study’s author mentions, “Regular involvement in various mentally stimulating activities might significantly affect cognitive health.”
Recent findings indicate that maintaining a habit of engaging in intellectually stimulating activities throughout one’s life can lower the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease by almost 40%.
According to the research published in Neurology, cognitive health in older age can be attributed, at least in part, to lifetime exposure to cognitive enrichment. The study tracked 1,939 older adults over roughly eight years. Throughout this period, 551 participants were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, while 719 experienced mild cognitive impairment.
Dr. Andrea Zammit, the study’s author from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, emphasized that their research examined cognitive enrichment from childhood through later stages, focusing on activities that stimulate the mind. “Our results suggest that cognitive health later in life is strongly shaped by lifelong intellectual engagement,” she noted.
Findings revealed that individuals who regularly participated in mentally stimulating activities faced a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s dementia and, on average, developed the disease about five years later than those who did not.
The study categorized activities into three phases: before age 18, activities included reading, learning a foreign language for over five years, and having access to newspapers and atlases. For those under 40, factors like access to libraries and museums were considered. After turning 80, engaging activities included reading, writing, and playing games.
Each participant was given a score based on their activity levels, and those with higher lifetime scores had a 38% lower risk of Alzheimer’s and a 36% decreased risk of mild cognitive impairment.
“These findings are hopeful, indicating that lifelong engagement in various mentally stimulating activities can impact cognitive health,” Zammit expressed.
She also suggested that public investments to improve access to enriching environments—such as libraries and educational programs designed to inspire a love for learning—could potentially reduce dementia rates.
