Reading books and doing puzzles cuts risk of Alzheimer’s, reveal scientists
READING books or doing puzzles really does keep Alzheimer’s disease at bay, scientists have said.
A study of elderly people found those who kept mentally active were less likely to develop memory and thinking problems.
This even applied to those with plaques of rogue proteins in their brain linked to dementia.
Lead author Dr Beth Snitz, of Pittsburgh University in
Pennsylvania, said: “This finding is consistent with the theory people with better lifelong thinking and memory skills have a ‘cognitive reserve’ that provides a buffer of protection against changes in the brain. They can better compensate for any underlying brain changes.”
Cognitive reserve refers to the brain’s ability to improvise and solve problems that materialise in everyday life.
It is thought to explain why some people’s neurons are more resistant to damage than others.
The latest findings, published in the Neurology journal, shed fresh light on why some people stay sharp into their 90s, even if they have the amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s. They also help explain how others reach a great age without ever developing the braincell-destroying knots of chemicals.
Dr Snitz said: “With more and more people living into their 90s and even 100s, it’s increasingly important we be able to understand and predict the factors that help people preserve their thinking skills as they age and determine if there are any changes people can make during their younger years that can improve their chances of cognitive resilience.”
Her team recruited 100 people without dementia who were tracked for up to 14 years, when they were an average of 92 years old.
The participants took tests that measured their thinking and memory skills. They also underwent MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans to see if they had the plaques.
Those who scored normally at the start were less likely to suffer later problems with their thinking abilities, whether they had the amyloid plaques or not.