In a cohort study of over 10,000 older individuals in Australia, more frequent participation in adult literacy activities (taking education classes, using a computer, and writing letters or journals) and active mental activities (playing games, cards, or chess and doing crosswords or puzzles) was associated with reduced dementia risk over 10 years.
In 2022, there were 55 million individuals worldwide living with dementia, with 10 million new cases emerging annually.
The loss of cognitive function affects the physical and mental health of individuals with dementia and the well-being of their carers and families.
No current treatment approach for dementia has been shown to be completely effective. Therefore, identifying new strategies to prevent or delay dementia onset among older individuals is a priority.
Early-life education is linked to better cognition in later life and reduced dementia risk. Occupation and lifestyle enrichment are also considered cognitive reserve proxies that may help prevent dementia.
For older adults, lifestyle enrichment may be particularly important because it could help prevent dementia through modifications to daily routines.
An enriched lifestyle with diverse leisure activities may reflect an optimistic personality and confer cognitive benefits by stimulating the growth of neurons and synapse and promoting well-being.
“We aimed to investigate whether lifestyle enrichment in older relatively healthy individuals is associated with dementia risk, independent of education and health status,” said Monash University’s Dr. Joanne Ryan and colleagues.
For the study, the researchers used population-based data from the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP) from March 1, 2010, to November 30, 2020.
The study included 10 318 participants; their median age was 73.8 years at baseline, more than half (52.6%) were women, and most self-identified as White (98%).
The authors observed that certain cognitively stimulating…
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