Brain Exercises May Delay Dementia

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US News&World Report

Reading, writing, other brain exercises put off memory decline of dementia.

By LiveScience Staff, LiveScience

Activities that keep the brain active, such as reading, writing and playing card games, may delay the precipitous memory declines that define dementia, a new study suggests.

Dementia is a decline in mental capabilities, especially memory and functioning, that can be caused by specific diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, as well as stroke and infections to the brain.

While genetics are suspected to play a role in dementia, more and more studies are showing that lifestyle factors might also influence the severity of the problems.

The new study, detailed in the Aug. 4 issue of the journal Neurology, involved 488 people age 75 to 85 who did not have dementia at the start of the study. They were followed for an average of five years; during that time 101 of the people developed dementia.

At the beginning of the study, people reported how often they participated in six leisure activities that engage the brain: reading, writing, doing crossword puzzles, playing board or card games, having group discussions, and playing music.

For each activity, daily participation was rated at seven points, several days a week was rated at four points, and weekly participation was rated at one point. The average score was seven points total for those who later developed dementia, meaning they took part in only one of the six activities each day, on average.

The researchers then looked at the point when memory loss started accelerating rapidly for the participants. They found that for every additional activity a person participated in, the onset of rapid memory loss was delayed by 0.18 years, or about 9 weeks.

"The point of accelerated decline was....read all of Brain Exercises May Delay Dementia