Several large studies have found a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in people who are intellectually active compared with their peers mentally inactive. And the mental activity can take many forms, such as reading, working puzzles, wood, printing, knitting and games. Some studies have even shown that people with mentally demanding work, professionals, managers, and so experience less memory decline with age than theircounterparts who have less demanding jobs.
In a study with 500 elderly, they were asked how often they participated in leisure activities like dancing, playing chess, card games or doing crossword puzzles. Over the years, the scientists kept records of those who developed mild memory loss or full-blown dementia. They found that the people who were the most active mentally had a 63 percent lower risk of getting dementia compared with those who rarely played board games, read, or has similar activities. People who had played most of the best protection, crossword solver four days a week translates into 47 percent lower risk of dementia than once a week puzzle. For each day of the week that people have in their mind is exercised, the researchers found the risk nearly 10 percent lower than dementia.
Other studies show that mental activity earlier in life is useful as well. The rate for the development of Alzheimer's disease wasthree times lower in people who were mentally active throughout their forties and fifties, compared with those who had not. And the mental activity as an early twenties, an average better cognitive function in old age. This means that graduates of a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than those who have never been to a training school.
Experts believe that a basic puzzle solving and other forms of mental stimulation to reduce the risk ofdementia is that people develop a "cognitive reserve" that allows them to tolerate more damage from Alzheimer's and other brain diseases. A recent study suggests that it's not how much brain you have, but how you use it that makes the difference. The investigators tested 19 people with a range of IQs from below to above average. Participants performed memory tasks while the investigators measured their brain activity patterns during functional MRI scans.
The scans showed more activity in the frontal lobes of people with higher intelligence. These same investigators also have demonstrated the brain-protective effects of education. These findings show that more intelligent and better educated people use their brains differently than those without these benefits, and this may help explain why keeping the mind active helps protect against the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
Mental calisthenics may not only keep our brain ells healthy, but they may also help them grow. New Research suggests that the brain can actually grow new cells and ReWire itself, which is considered a process known as neurogenesis, until recent decades is impossible. The Princeton University research has shown that laboratory animals, produce new brain cells in the hippocampus, also, that the structure of seahorses in the temple. Studies have shown that neurogenesis, as may occur in humans. Neurogenesis can be an important aspect of learning and memory. In animal studies, havehave found that enriched environments are associated with greater numbers of synapses or cell communication links in the brains memory centers. And, when running through their mazes and completing other memory tests, the stimulated animals appear more intelligent. These kinds of studies have led many researchers to believe that routine mental exercise stimulates existing connections between neurons and leads to new neuronal connections in the brain. This in turn will improve memory and brain performance.
Even in the face of this and other compelling evidence for the protective benefits of mental exercise, memory training and memorization techniques, there are still skeptics who believe that mental activity has little or no effect on the rate at which our brains age. However, even without absolute proof of cause and effect, the risks of staying mentally active are minimal, and the potential gains great. In the words, remaining mentally active and practicing mental exercises can't hurt. It can also enrich our lives.
Studies on mental exercises have shown that the tasks must involve an element of effort. They can be diverse and can include any of a number of activities reading, working jigsaw puzzles, woodworking, painting, knitting, or playing board games. You may prefer learning a language or reading a challenging novel or biography or learning a memorization technique as memory training Evidence indicates that the "fun factor" keeps us Do you want more, and this is what you want - the activity over time to maintain. Epidemiological studies suggest that we need to develop the habit of regular mental exercise, and that the years of operation may be needed to achieve maximum impact.
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