Mental exercises slow down, then speeds up dementia, study shows

Mentally stimulating activities delay the progression of dementia but may accelerate it later in life

Mentally stimulating activities such as brain games, puzzles, and crosswords delay the progression of dementia but may accelerate it later in life, a new study reveals.

The study, published in the journal Neurology, confirms that mental exercise protects the patients from memory loss, but the benefits of a sharp mind may come at a cost later in life, says Dr. Robert Wilson of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

“We think that mental activity tends to stave of the initial symptoms of cognitive impairment and therefore to delay dementia onset,” Dr. Wilson said. “However, if dementia does eventually develop, it progresses more rapidly in those who had previously maintained a mentally active lifestyle.”

He confirmed that mentally stimulating activities may enhance brain function even in the presence of lesions which are linked to dementia.

But he said that once diagnosed, people with dementia who are were mentally active are more likely to develop more changes related to dementia compared to those who were not relatively mentally active.

Therefore, those who lead a more mentally active lifestyle may experience a quicker deterioration of brain function at the onset of dementia.

The 12-year study examined 1,157 people age 65 or older, who were made to answer questions about the frequency of activities like listening to the radio, reading, visiting a museum, and playing games. The points were measured according to a cognitive activity scale.

Over the next six years, researchers found that those without impaired cognitive function had their rates of decline reduced by 52 percent for each point on the scale.

Posted by George Daniels on Thursday September 02 2010, 10:24 AM EST. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0