Mental Stimulation Might Cut Dementia Risk
Keeping sharp could reduce brain protein linked to Alzheimer's
January 27, 2012
University of California-Berkeley scientist Susan Landau found a link between the quantity of a protein in the brain linked to Alzheimer's and the lifetime level of brain stimulation, such as reading and playing games.
A new study finds that people who engage in mentally-stimulating activities over a lifetime have lower levels of a protein in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease, a new study finds.
That supports other research which suggests reading, writing and playing games may lower the risk of dementia.
Researchers worked with a group of 65 older-adult volunteers with no symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease.
They answered questions about how often they engaged in stimulating mental activities throughout their lifetimes. They also got PET brain scans which can identify beta-amyloid deposits. Those deposits are found in the brains of people who have Alzheimer's.
University of California-Berkeley research scientist Susan Landau says the study showed a link between the quantity of deposits and the lifetime level of brain stimulation.
"People who were the most cognitively active throughout their life, they had the least amyloid in their brains," she says. "So, based on this association between greater cognitive activity and less amyloid, we think that these people will go on to have a reduced risk of Alzheiemer's Disease."
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