A new report has provided research results in support of the idea that frequent brain exercise reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

This comes from a publication in the journal Neurology. Over 750 old people had annual clinical evaluations for 5 years. These exams included estimates of the frequency of cognitive activity - reading a newspaper, going to see a movie, playing chess or checkers, doing a crossword or Sudoku ; they also had tests of their mental functioning (cognitive ability). The participants agreed to donate their brains to research when they died.

A total of 775 completed follow-up exams; 75% were women, and 91% were white. Their average age was 80 at baseline. Ninety of the participants developed Alzheimer's during the study, and 102 died and had their brains examined.

More frequent participation in cognitive activity was associated with a reduced likelihood of developing Alzheimer's. Someone who was 'cognitively inactive' was 2½ times as likely to develop Alzheimer's as one who was 'cognitively active'.

However, there was no evidence from brain pathology in those who died that the amount of typical Alzheimer pathology (amyloid deposits, tangles, Lewy bodies) were unrelated to prior cognitive activity. The authors of the study say, in effect, "Bummer". "The most direct evidence that infrequent cognitive activity is a consequence of Alzheimer's disease would be an association between cognitive activity and the pathology of the underlying disease; however, there was no such correlation". This should not detract from the main message of the study - "use it or lose it". So get back to the crossword (or whatever).

Source
HealthandAge Blog

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