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Reading, writing and learning a language or two can lower your risk of dementia by almost 40%, according to a study that suggests millions of people could prevent or delay the condition. Dementia is one of the world’s biggest health threats. US researchers found that engaging in intellectually stimulating activities throughout life, such as reading, writing or learning a new language, was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, and slower cognitive decline.
The study author said the discovery suggested cognitive health in later life was “strongly influenced” by lifelong exposure to intellectually stimulating environments. “Our findings are encouraging, suggesting that consistently engaging in a variety of mentally stimulating activities throughout life may make a difference in cognition.
Researchers tracked 1,939 people with an average age of 80 who did not have dementia at the start of the study. They were followed for an average of eight years. Participants completed surveys about cognitive activities and learning resources during three stages. Early enrichment, before 18, included the frequency of being read to and reading books, access to newspapers and atlases in the home, and learning a foreign language for more than five years.
Middle-age enrichment included income level at 40, household resources such as magazine subscriptions, dictionaries and library cards and the frequency of activities such as visiting a museum or library. Later-life enrichment, starting at an average age of 80, included the frequency of reading, writing and playing games and total income from social security, retirement and other sources.
After adjusting for factors such as age, sex and education, researchers found higher scores in lifetime enrichment were associated with a 38% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 36% lower risk of MCI. People with the highest lifetime enrichment developed Alzheimer’s disease at an average age of 94, compared with 88 for those with the lowest level of enrichment – more than a five-year delay. The study did not prove that lifelong learning reduces the risk of dementia, as it only showed an association.
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