Lifetime Of Brain Stimulation May Help Preserve Memory In Later Years. USA Today (7/4, Payne) reported, “Reading, writing and participating in other brain-stimulating activities at any age may protect your memory later in life,” according to a 294-person study published online July 3 in the journal Neurology. Researchers found, “after adjusting for signs of brain disease,” that “higher levels of cognitive activity across the life span were associated with slower cognitive decline.” The Los Angeles Times (7/5, MacVean) “Science Now” blog reports that the findings were “true independent of common neuropathic conditions, such as plaques and tangles,” investigators “said. Mental activities through life seem to provide a ‘cognitive reserve,’ the scientists said.” On its website, CBS News (7/5, Castillo) reports, “Taking the physical signs of dementia out of the equation, those that kept themselves mentally busy had a 15 percent slower rate of mental and thinking decline compared to those that did not.” What’s more, “those that reported the most reading and writing later in life were able to slow their memory decline by 32 percent compared to people with average mental activity.” Individuals who “reported the lowest mental stimulation in their later years had a 48 percent faster memory decline compared to the average.” The Huffington Post (7/3) reported, “‘This finding potentially addresses a question that all of us ask from time to time – can we do anything to slow down late-life cognitive decline? The results suggest yes – read more books, write more, and do activities that keep your brain busy irrespective of your age,’ Prashanthi Vemuri, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic, and Elizabeth C. Mormino, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital...wrote in an accompanying editorial.”
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 23:40:34 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015