Lifestyle May Be Key to Helping You Avoid Dementia
THURSDAY, Aug. 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Socializing, taking classes and exercising may boost your brain's cognitive reserve and stave off memory and thinking problems down the road, a new study suggests.
Cognitive reserve refers to the brain's ability to withstand the effects of diseases like Alzheimer's and not show signs of decline.
The best way to boost your cognitive reserve?
"Never stop being curious, and learn something new or pick up a new hobby," said study author Pamela Almeida-Meza, a doctoral student at University College London. "Stay active and connected, exercise, go on daily walks, keep in touch with your family and prioritize visiting your friends."
For the study, researchers looked at genes and lifestyle factors among 1,184 people born in 1946 in the United Kingdom. Folks took cognitive tests when they were 8 and again at 69.
Everyone in the study received a cognitive reserve score that combined their education level at 26, participation in enriching leisure activities at 43, and job up to age 53. Reading ability at age 53 was tested as an additional measure of overall lifelong learning.
The cognitive test that folks took at age 69 had a maximum total score of 100, and the average score for this group was 92.
Folks with higher childhood cognitive abilities, a higher cognitive reserve score and advanced reading ability performed better on the cognitive test at age 69, the study showed.
People with higher education levels also fared better than their counterparts who did not have a formal education.
Folks who engaged in six or more leisure activities, such as adult education classes, clubs, volunteer work, social activities and gardening, scored higher than people who engaged in four or fewer leisure activities.
What's more, those participants who had a professional or intermediate level job scored higher on the cognitive test at age 69 than those in lesser-skilled positions.
Previous studies have shown that people with low scores on cognitive tests as kids are more likely to have a steeper cognitive decline with advancing age, but this may not be the case after all.
"The finding suggests that a mentally, socially and physically active lifestyle at midlife can offset the negative contribution of low childhood cognition to older age cognitive state," Almeida-Meza said.
The APOE4 gene, which increases the risk for Alzheimer's disease, was linked with lower scores on the cognitive test at age 69, but participants with high or low childhood cognition scores showed similar rates of mental decline with age, regardless of their APOE4 status.
The study appears in the Aug. 3 issue of Neurology.
The findings show that genes aren't destiny when it comes to risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, said Lei Yu, an associate professor at Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago.
"Cognitive performance in old age is not fully determined by what was inherited from our parents," said Yu, who reviewed the new study.
"Older adults who are actively engaged in cognitive [e.g., reading, or playing checkers, cards, puzzles or board games], social [e.g., spending time with family members or friends, going to church, volunteering or participating in group activities] and physical activities [e.g., regular exercise] are more likely to maintain late-life cognition, even in the presence of brain diseases such as Alzheimer's," he said.
Michal Schnaider Beeri is a professor of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. She co-authored an editorial accompanying the study.
"The study findings support the relevance of a lifelong investment in the accumulation of cognitive reserve for the maintenance of healthy cognition later in life," she said.
"From a public health and societal perspective, there may be broad long-term benefits in investing in high education, widening opportunities for leisure activities, and proactively providing cognitively challenging activities for individuals at less skilled occupations," Schnaider Beeri said.
And, she said, it's never too late to start boosting your cognitive reserve.
"Although younger brains learn faster and more effectively, older and even [much] older brains have plasticity and the capacity to learn," Schnaider Beeri noted.
She recommended getting out of your comfort zone and learning a new language or skill, or a new musical instrument.
"Feeding our brains with intellectual engagement and effort should be seen as a lifelong process to maintain healthy brain aging," Schnaider Beeri said.
The Alzheimer's Association offers more tips on how to stave off Alzheimer's disease.
SOURCES: Pamela Almeida-Meza, doctoral student, University College London, Lei Yu, PhD, associate professor, Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Chicago; Michal Schnaider Beeri, PhD, professor, psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, Neurology, Aug. 3, 2022
Uwezo wa kuepuka dementia: Utafiti mpya unaonyesha kuwa kushirikiana na watu, kuchukua masomo na kufanya mazoezi inaweza kuongeza akiba ya utambuzi wa ubongo wako na kuzuia kumbukumbu na matatizo ya kufikiri. Hifadhi ya utambuzi ni uwezo wa ubongo wa kukabiliana na athari za magonjwa kama vile Alzheimer's na kuonyesha dalili za kupungua. Njia bora ya kuongeza akiba yako ya utambuzi? "Usiwe na hamu ya kujua mengi, na ujifunze kitu kipya au ufanye jambo jipya la kujifurahisha,"" alisema Pamela Almeida-Meza, mwanafunzi wa shahada ya kwanza katika Chuo Kikuu cha London." "Kaa hai na kuunganishwa, fanya mazoezi, nenda matembezi ya kila siku, endelea kuwasiliana na familia yako na fanya utangulizi wa kutembelea marafiki wako. """ Kwa ajili ya utafiti huo, watafiti walichunguza chembe za urithi na tabia za watu 1,184 waliozaliwa mwaka 1946 nchini Uingereza. Watu walifanya mtihani wa utambuzi wa akili wakiwa na umri wa miaka 8 na tena wakiwa na umri wa miaka 69. "Wanafunzi wote waliohusika katika utafiti huo walipata alama ya ""kibao cha utambuzi"" ambayo ilichanganya kiwango cha elimu yao katika miaka ya 26, ushiriki katika shughuli za burudani zenye kutajirisha katika miaka ya 43, na kazi hadi umri wa miaka 53."" Uwezo wa kusoma katika umri wa miaka 53 ulipimwa kama kipimo cha ziada cha kujifunza kwa maisha yote. Kwa mfano, katika mtihani wa utambuzi wa watu wenye umri wa miaka 69, watu walipata alama ya juu ya 100, na wastani wa alama ya jumla ya watu hao ilikuwa 92. Watu wenye uwezo wa utambuzi wa hali ya juu, alama ya juu ya akiba ya utambuzi na uwezo wa kusoma wa hali ya juu walifanya vizuri zaidi katika mtihani wa utambuzi wa umri wa miaka 69. Watu wenye viwango vya juu vya elimu pia walifanikiwa zaidi kuliko wenzao ambao hawakuwa na elimu rasmi. Watu walioshiriki katika shughuli sita au zaidi za burudani, kama vile madarasa ya elimu ya watu wazima, vilabu, kazi ya kujitolea, shughuli za kijamii na bustani, walipata alama ya juu kuliko watu walioshiriki katika shughuli nne au chini za burudani. Zaidi ya hayo, washiriki ambao walikuwa na kazi ya kitaaluma au ya kati walipata alama ya juu katika mtihani wa utambuzi wa umri wa miaka 69 kuliko wale walio katika nafasi za ujuzi mdogo. Uchunguzi wa awali umeonyesha kuwa watu wenye alama ya chini katika vipimo vya utambuzi kama watoto wana uwezekano mkubwa wa kuwa na kupungua kwa utambuzi wa akili na umri wa kusonga mbele, lakini hii inaweza kuwa sio kesi. "Ugunduzi huo unaonyesha kuwa mtindo wa maisha wa kiakili, kijamii na kimwili katika umri wa kati unaweza kusawazisha mchango mbaya wa utambuzi wa chini wa utoto kwa hali ya utambuzi wa umri wa zamani, ""Almeida-Meza alisema." Jeni la APOE4 linaweza kuongeza hatari ya ugonjwa wa Alzheimer, lakini washiriki walio na alama ya juu au ya chini ya utambuzi wa utotoni walionyesha viwango sawa vya kupungua kwa akili na umri, bila kujali hali yao ya APOE4. Utafiti huo umechapishwa katika toleo la Agosti 3 la Neurology. "Utafiti huo unaonyesha kwamba jeni si hatima wakati wa hatari ya kuambukizwa ugonjwa wa Alzheimer, ""alisema Lei Yu, profesa msaidizi katika Kituo cha Ugonjwa wa Alzheimer cha Rush huko Chicago." "Uwezo wa utambuzi katika uzee haujulikani kikamili na kile tulichorithi kutoka kwa wazazi wetu, ""alisema Yu, ambaye alikagua utafiti mpya." "Wazee ambao wanafanya kazi za utambuzi (kwa mfano, kusoma, kucheza mchezo wa mchezo wa daktari, kadi, puzzle au michezo ya bodi), kijamii (kwa mfano, kutumia wakati na wanafamilia au marafiki, kwenda kanisani, kujitolea au kushiriki katika shughuli za kikundi) na shughuli za mwili (kwa mfano, mazoezi ya kawaida) wana uwezekano mkubwa wa kudumisha utambuzi wa maisha ya marehemu, hata katika uwepo wa magonjwa ya ubongo kama vile Alzheimer's. """ Michal Schneider-Beyer ni profesa wa magonjwa ya akili katika Chuo cha Tiba cha Icahn huko Mount Sinai, New York. Yeye ni mwandishi mwenza wa mhariri unaoambatana na utafiti huo. "Matokeo ya utafiti yanaunga mkono umuhimu wa uwekezaji wa maisha yote katika mkusanyiko wa akiba ya utambuzi kwa ajili ya kudumisha utambuzi mzuri baadaye maishani, ""alisema." "Kutoka kwa mtazamo wa afya ya umma na jamii, kunaweza kuwa na faida kubwa za muda mrefu katika kuwekeza katika elimu ya juu, kupanua fursa za shughuli za burudani, na kutoa shughuli za changamoto za utambuzi kwa watu katika kazi zisizo na ujuzi, ""Alisema Schneider." Na, alisema, kamwe si kuchelewa mno kuanza kuongeza akiba yako ya utambuzi. "Ijapokuwa ubongo wa vijana hujifunza haraka na kwa matokeo zaidi, ubongo wa wazee na hata wa wazee [wa muda mrefu] una uwezo wa kubadilika na uwezo wa kujifunza", Schnaider Beeri alibainisha. "Ameshauri watu ""watoke katika mazingira ya starehe na kujifunza lugha mpya au ustadi mpya au ala mpya ya muziki.""" "Kulisha ubongo wetu kwa ushiriki wa kiakili na juhudi inapaswa kuonekana kama mchakato wa maisha yote ili kudumisha kuzeeka kwa afya ya ubongo", Schnaider Beeri alisema. Shirika la Alzheimer's linatoa ushauri zaidi kuhusu jinsi ya kuzuia ugonjwa wa Alzheimer. Pamela Almeida-Meza, mwanafunzi wa udaktari, Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha London, Lei Yu, PhD, profesa msaidizi, Kituo cha Ugonjwa wa Rush Alzheimer, Chicago; Michal Schneider-Beyer, PhD, profesa, psychiatry, Shule ya Tiba ya Icahn huko Mount Sinai, New York City, Neurology, Aug. 3, 2022