Delaying dementia with fun and games

Aug 10, 2009 11:51 AM

Seniors who engage in brain-stimulating activities, such as doing crossword puzzles and playing music, can reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia or delay its onset, according to recent research published in the Neurology journal.

The study tested the cognitive abilities of 488 initially healthy people, average age 79, between 1980 and 1983, and then every 12 to 18 months for an average of five years. All participants were asked how many cognitive activities (reading, writing, crossword puzzles, board or card games, group discussions, or playing music) they participated in and for how many days a week.

Over time, 101 of the participants developed dementia, and the researchers looked at whether brain-stimulating activities influenced the disease’s onset. Researchers found that for every "activity day" (participation in one activity for one day a week) the seniors engaged in, they delayed for about two months the onset of rapid memory loss associated with dementia. Study participants who engaged in the highest level of activity, defined as 11 "activity days" per week delayed accelerated onset of dementia by 15.5 months versus those with the lowest level of activity, defined as four activity days per week.

Researchers speculate that people who engage in more brain-stimulating activities have a greater cognitive reserve—the brain's ability to maintain function in spite of damage. We’ve previously reported that flexing your brain muscles with stimulating activities like playing chess or doing crosswords can help prevent mental decline. In a 2008 study, researchers from Johns Hopkins and Duke University found that men who participated in mentally and socially engaging activities in midlife had a lower risk of dementia. And other research suggests that moderate exercise can help keep seniors mentally alert.

While there’s no guaranteed way to preventing Alzheimer’s, we recommend mentally and physically stimulating activities, particularly if there’s a history of Alzheimer’s in your family, or you fit any of the other dementia risk factors. Some other ways to help keep your protect your memory include:

Staying connected with family and friends
Joining a hobby group
Doing volunteer work
Aiming for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, daily or most days
Eating fish and at least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables
Avoiding saturated and trans fats, which may hasten cognitive decline
Taking an extra vitamin B12 if you're older than age 50

—Ginger Skinner

Is it Alzheimer’s or something else? Take a look at the warning signs. And if a relative or someone you know has Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia, find out which drug treatments work best (subscribers only) and find out how to save on Alzheimer’s drugs in our free Best Buy Drugs report.

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