|
Staying active, both mentally and physically,
may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, researchers report.
In a new study, the odds of developing Alzheimer's were nearly
quadrupled in people who were less active during their
leisure time between the ages of 20 and
60 compared with their peers. This seemed to be true
regardless of the type of activity, although spending time in intellectual
pursuits appeared to be the most beneficial.
It is still uncertain whether an inactive lifestyle itself increases
the risk of Alzheimer's disease or simply reflects the earliest
stages of the disease, but according to the study's lead author,
it is a good idea to keep the brain in
shape throughout life.
A passive life is not best for the brain. The brain is an organ
just like every other organ in the body. Just as physical activity
is good for the heart, muscles and lungs, learning
is important for keeping the brain healthy.
People often compare the brain to a computer, but there is an important
difference. While a computer's hardware does not change, the size
and structure of neurons and the connections between them actually
change as a person learns.
But exercising the brain means more than hitting the books. In
addition,
- traveling
- learning a musical instrument or foreign
language
- participating in social and community
activities
can all help keep the brain active.
Several studies have investigated the connection between work,
education and the risk of Alzheimer's disease, and it appears that
people who are better educated and more accomplished on the job
are less likely to develop the disease. But there has been little
research into the effect of leisure activities on the risk of Alzheimer's
disease.
The researchers asked about three different types of leisure activities.
Physical activities included sports, working out in a gym, biking,
gardening, ice skating, walking and jogging.
Examples of intellectual activities included reading, doing puzzles,
playing a musical instrument, painting, woodworking, playing cards
or board games, and performing home repairs.
Some of the passive activities included watching television, listening
to music, attending social clubs, talking on the phone, visiting
with friends and attending religious services.
Even after the investigators took into account factors that could
have influenced the risk of Alzheimer's, including age, sex, education
and socioeconomic status, people who participated
in fewer activities than the average were 3.85
times more likely to develop the memory-robbing illness.
The differences between healthy participants and those with Alzheimer's
disease were greatest in terms of intellectual activities.
People with Alzheimer's disease were less active in passive, physical
and intellectual activities. Since intellectual activities appear
to keep the brain healthy, adults should have more opportunities
to participate in learning activities, he said. This is especially
true for older people, who often are limited in what sort of activities
they can participate in.
Unfortunately, many elderly -- and younger people as well -- spend
much of their leisure time watching television.
The only activity that Alzheimer's patients
performed more frequently than the healthy controls was watching
television.
Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences March 13, 2001;98:3440
| 