Brain exercise prevents Alzheimer’s
Posted Aug 26 2007 6:17pm
A new study has shown that regularly performing mentally stimulating activities can actually protect the brain against degenerative illnesses like dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
The study, by Robert S. Wilson, PhD, of the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Centre at Rush University in Chicago, tracked 700 participants, whose average age was 80, over five years. Participants’ cognitive ability, meaning their thinking and reasoning capacity, was tested each year.
The results found that people who regularly enjoyed cognitive activities, whether reading, going to the library, playing chess or even watching a play, were 2.6 times less likely to develop either dementia or Alzheimer’s disease as those who didn’t. Importantly, the study found these results applied regardless of what sort of brain stimulation participants had in the past or even their current level of social and physical activity. Wilson called Alzheimer’s disease “among the most feared consequences of old age.” And while the results offer strong evidence that staying mentally active helps protect against its onset, Wilson said the study also found that regular, brain stimulating activity could reduce even mild impairment in mental alertness.
Thus, a healthy diet and regular exercise are not enough to ensure you stay mentally healthy in old age. These results prove that a powerful tool for everyone in staving off brain degeneration and illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is to enjoy regular, stimulating brain activity.
The HeadStrong brain exercises are designed to stimulate new brain cell development and increase neural connections. We can not say enough times: "use your brain to keep it fit and functioning well." Complete the HeadStrong brain exercise program three times a week and you will be getting a a through cognitive workout, and as this study demonstrates, reducing your chance of developing Alzheimer's disease.
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