Forget GPS, map reading could show the way to beat dementia

TURNING off your GPS and using a traditional map instead could help fight dementia, a study suggests.

Researchers have found that orienteering – which draws on navigational skills, memory and movement – could be useful as an intervention to prevent cognitive decline.

The team from McMaster University, Ontario, surveyed adults aged 18 to 87. Those who participated in orienteering had better spatial navigation and memory.

Experts said the demands of orienteering may stimulate parts of the brain that our ancestors used for hunting and gathering, functions that are not as necessary today due to modern conveniences such as GPS apps and readily available food. Two simple ways to incorporate orienteering into daily life are turning off the GPS and using a map instead, or using a new route for your run, walk or bike ride, the team said.

Emma Waddington, lead author of the study published in the journal Plos One, said: ‘When it comes to brain training, the physical and cognitive demands of orienteering have the potential to give you more bang for your buck compared to exercising only.’