Reading and writing can reduce dementia risk by 40%: Study
What's the story
Reading, writing, and learning new languages can reduce the risk of dementia by up to 40% for Alzheimer's disease, a study has found. The research highlights that engaging in intellectually stimulating activities throughout life can lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, and slow cognitive decline. The findings were published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Cognitive health
Research followed participants for an average of 8 years
The study's lead author, Andrea Zammit of Rush University Medical Center, said cognitive health in later life is strongly shaped by lifelong exposure to intellectually stimulating environments The researchers followed 1,939 people with an average age of 80 who didn't have dementia at the start of the study for an average of eight years. They assessed cognitive engagement across three life stages: early enrichment (before 18), middle-age enrichment (at age 40), and later-life enrichment (from age 80).
Study results
Those with highest enrichment had lower risk of developing Alzheimer's
The study found that 551 participants developed Alzheimer's disease and 719 developed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) during the research period. Those with the highest level of cognitive enrichment (top 10%) had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's and MCI compared to those with the lowest level (bottom 10%). After adjusting for age, sex, and education, higher scores in lifetime enrichment were associated with a 38% lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and a 36% lower risk of MCI.
Delay in onset
Learning new languages delays onset of dementia symptoms
The study also found that people with the highest lifetime enrichment developed Alzheimer's disease at an average age of 94, compared to 88 for those with the lowest level of enrichment. This is a delay of over five years. Similarly, those with the highest lifetime enrichment developed MCI at an average age of 85, compared to 78 for those with the lowest level, indicating a seven-year delay.
Cognitive skills
Study only established an association between learning, reduced dementia risk
The study also examined participants who died during the research period and had autopsies. Those with higher lifetime enrichment exhibited better memory and thinking skills, along with a slower decline prior to death. However, it's important to note that participants reported details about their early and midlife experiences later in life, which could have affected accuracy. The study only established an association between lifelong learning and reduced dementia risk, not causation.