A recent study has shown that maintaining mental activity later in life can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms by up to five years. Activities that help stimulate the mind include board games, card games, solving puzzles and crosswords, as well as reading and writing messages.
The study surveyed nearly 2,000 seniors about the time they spent on these activities and similar activities over the past year. Among those who developed dementia, the disease progressed for individuals who spent the most time keeping their minds active at an average age of 93.
The study also found that individuals who spent less time on mentally demanding activities developed Alzheimer’s disease at an average age of 88, which is five years earlier than the first group.
Professor Robert Wilson, the lead author of the study from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, stated, "The good news is that it’s never too late to start engaging in inexpensive and easily accessible activities that we looked at in our study, as our findings suggest that it may be beneficial to start doing these things, even in one’s eighties, to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s dementia."
Researchers were concerned that individuals who engage in less mentally challenging tasks might already be experiencing early dementia, potentially skewing the perception that those who did not participate in crossword puzzles developed Alzheimer’s sooner when, in fact, the disease may have caused them to stop.
However, an analysis of the brains of 695 individuals who died during the study revealed that those who engaged less frequently in cognitive activities did not show signs of early dementia.
The study concluded that individuals who engage in more cognitive stimulating activities may delay the age at which they develop dementia, according to the Daily Mail.
