A recent study published by the Washington Post revealed that practicing mental activities in old age, such as playing chess, may contribute to delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment by several years.
This study is considered among the largest of its kind, as it followed 1,939 people with an average age of 80 years, and monitored their cognitive trajectories in parallel with their lifestyles and the activities they used to practice since childhood.
These findings shed new light on the hypothesis that the details of everyday life – from our reading, our meetings and how we spend our leisure time – can have a noticeable impact on the brain in our later years.
Previous studies have supported this trend. Last year, an analysis of about 10,000 people showed that individuals who regularly listen to music or play an instrument are less likely to experience cognitive decline.
Another study also revealed that people who dance more than once a week are 76% less likely to develop dementia than those who rarely practice it.
In addition, another factor has emerged: loneliness, which has been linked to an increased risk of dementia, leading experts to emphasize the importance of maintaining social connections.
The new study does not prove that an “active mind” directly prevents Alzheimer’s, but it does indicate a clear relationship between lifestyle and risk.
Although some of the activities examined in the study may require time or resources that are not available to everyone, Andrea Zammit, a co-author of the research, explained that positive effects were still observed even after taking into account disparities in socioeconomic status.
“As long as you are constantly searching for knowledge and striving to learn, that is what we consider important here,” Zammit said.
The conclusion reached by the study is clear: keeping the mind active through reading, mental games such as chess or music, or maintaining social relationships may play a role in delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s for several years, and is considered a long-term investment in brain health.
