This week, JAMA Neurology offered an encouraging study for our aging population which demonstrated that continuing to stimulate your brain through intellectually challenging work or leisure activities (such as playing a musical instrument, using a computer or reading) can postpone the onset of dementia. The investigators utilized nearly 2000 participants in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, specifically enrolling people aged 70-89 years old, and identifying whether or not they had APOE (a genetic marker linked with increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease) and assessing their baseline cognitive performance.
People who had less mentally challenging occupations, less late-life intellectual stimulation and/or … Read more