- About 55 million people globally have dementia, for which there is no cure.
- Researchers from McMaster University believe skills used during the sport called orienteering could act as a prevention or intervention therapy for dementia.
- Scientists found adults participating in orienteering have better spatial navigation and memory, with potential benefits for their entire life.
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The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease.
While there is currently no cure for dementia, there are some
Now, researchers from McMaster University believe another prevention and intervention therapy option for dementia lies in the sport of orienteering.
The study was recently published in the journal
Orienteering is an endurance sport relying on navigational skills. Participants receive a detailed map they need to use to navigate a course while hiking or running.
“Orienteering is a sport that simultaneously combines running over various terrains with map and compass navigation, with the goal of navigating to a series of checkpoints as fast as possible,” Emma Waddington, a grad student in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University, and lead author of this study, explained to Medical News Today.
“Orienteering is a close evolutionary surrogate to hunter-gather activities,” she said.
Past studies show people who participate in orienteering improve
And a
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