Effects of mental exercise on cognitive function
- Cognitive decline is less in those who engage more frequently in cognitively stimulating activities.
- Activities that keep you actively searching for words (such as scrabble and crosswords) may help reduce those tip-of-the-tongue experiences where particular words cannot quite be recalled.
- Cognitive training programs can reverse cognitive impairment in many seniors
- 10 minutes of talking has a mental payoff
- Age differences in cognitive benefits of exercise and mental stimulation
- Alzheimer's pathology related to episodic memory loss in those without dementia
- Simple Lifestyle Changes May Improve Cognitive Function
- Risk of mild cognitive impairment increases with less education
- Lifestyle changes improve seniors’ memory surprisingly quickly
- How higher education protects older adults from cognitive decline
- Diet, exercise, stimulating environment helps old dogs learn
- Being fluent in two languages may help keep the brain sharper for longer
- Low self-esteem 'shrinks brain'
- More support for importance of stimulation to protect against cognitive decline
- Regular participation in cognitive activities reduces Alzheimer's risk
- Compensating strategies for aging memories
- Talking may help seniors guard against memory decline
- Mentally stimulating activities reduces cognitive decline
- Leisure activity decreases risk of Alzheimer's disease
- Dealing with memory failures in which you feel the information you want is "on the tip of my tongue"
- Cognitive training can help prevent and even reverse cognitive decline
News reports
October 2007
10 minutes of talking has a mental payoff
A study of 3,610 people aged 24—96
examined mental functioning and social interaction, and found that, across all
ages, cognitive functioning was better the The higher the level of participants'
social interaction. Participants' level of social interactions was assessed by
asking how often each week they talked on the phone with friends, neighbors and
relatives, and how often they got together. Researchers controlled for age,
education, race/ethnicity, gender, marital status and income, physical health
and depression. In a second experiment involving college students, short-term
social interaction lasting for just 10 minutes boosted participants'
intellectual performance as much as engaging in so-called 'intellectual'
activities for the same amount of time.
The study will be published in the
February 2008 issue of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-10/uom-tmo102907.php
August 2007
Age differences in cognitive benefits of exercise and mental stimulation
A mouse study has found that while
physical exercise (a running wheel) and mental stimulation (toys), singly and
together, improved memory in old mice, exercise alone or exercise and
stimulation improved memory in middle-aged mice but not stimulation alone, and
only exercise alone benefited young mice. The results suggest that as we get old
and maybe less able to exercise, cognitive stimulation can help to compensate,
but exercise is central to memory reinforcement at all ages.
The report appeared in the August issue of Behavioral Neuroscience.
Full reference
Full text available at
http://www.apa.org/journals/releases/bne1214679.pdf
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-08/apa-eam080107.php
June 2006
Alzheimer's pathology related to episodic memory loss in those without dementia
A study of 134 participants from the Religious Orders Study or
the Memory and Aging Project has found that, although they didn't
have cognitive impairment at the time of their death, more than a
third of the participants (50) met criteria for a pathologic
diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. This group also scored
significantly lower on tests for episodic memory, such as recalling
stories and word lists. The results provide further support for the
idea that a ‘cognitive reserve’ can allow people to tolerate a
significant amount of Alzheimer's pathology without manifesting
obvious dementia. It also raises the question whether we should
accept any minor episodic memory loss in older adults as 'normal'.
The study was published in the June 27 issue of
Neurology.
Full
reference
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-06/aaon-apr062006.htm
May 2006
Simple Lifestyle Changes May Improve Cognitive Function
A study involving 17 people (35–69 years) with mild self-reported
memory complaints but normal baseline memory performance scores, has
found that 2 weeks on a program combining a brain healthy diet plan
(5 small meals a day; diet rich in omega-3 fats, antioxidants and
low-glycemic carbohydrates like whole grains), relaxation exercises,
cardiovascular conditioning (daily walks), and mental exercise (such
as crosswords and brain teasers) resulted in participants' brain
metabolism decreasing 5% in working memory regions (left
dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), suggesting an increased efficiency.
Compared to the control group, participants also performed better in
verbal fluency.
The study was published in the June issue of the
American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
Full
reference
http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/page.asp?RelNum=7062
April 2006
Risk of mild cognitive impairment increases with less education
A study of 3,957 people from the general population of Olmsted
County, Minnesota is currently in train to find how many of those
who did not have dementia might have mild cognitive impairment. A
report on the findings so far suggests 9% of those aged 70 to 79 and
nearly 18% of those 80 to 89 have MCI. Prevalence varied not only
with age but also years of education: 25% in those with up to eight
years of education, 14% in those with nine to 12 years, 9% in those
with 13 to 16 years, and 8.5% in those with greater than 16 years.
Findings from this study were presented April 4 at the American
Academy of Neurology meeting in San Diego.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-04/mc-mci033006.htm
December 2005
Lifestyle changes improve seniors’ memory surprisingly quickly
A small 14-day study found that those following a memory
improvement plan that included memory training, a healthy diet,
physical exercise, and stress reduction, showed a 5% decrease in
brain metabolism in the dorsal lateral prefrontal region of the
brain (involved in working memory) suggesting they were using their
brain more efficiently. This change in activity was reflected in
better performance on a cognitive measure controlled by this brain
region, and participants reported that they felt their memory had
improved. The memory training involved doing brainteasers, crossword
puzzles and memory exercises. Diet involved eating 5 small meals
daily (to prevent fluctuations in blood glucose levels) that were
rich in omega-3 fats, low-glycemic index carbohydrates (e.g., whole
grains) and antioxidants. Physical exercise involved brisk walking
and stretching, and stress reduction involved stretching and
relaxation exercises.
The study was presented at the American College of
Neuropsychopharmacology's Annual Meeting on December 11-15, in
Hawaii.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-12/g-nsf121205.htm
March 2005
How higher education protects older adults from cognitive decline
Research has indicated that higher
education helps protect older adults from cognitive decline. Now an
imaging study helps us understand how. The study compared adults
from two age groups: 18-30, and over 65. Years of education ranged
from 11 to 20 years for the younger group, and 8 to 21 for the
older. Participants carried out several memory tasks while their
brain was scanned. In young adults performing the memory tasks, more
education was associated with less use of the frontal lobes and more
use of the temporal lobes. For the older adults doing the same
tasks, more education was associated with less use of the temporal
lobes and more use of the frontal lobes. Previous research has
indicated frontal activity is greater in old adults, compared to
young; the new study suggests that this effect is related to the
educational level in the older participants. The higher the
education, the more likely the older adult is to recruit frontal
regions, resulting in a better memory performance.
The report appeared in the March issue of
Neuropsychology.
Full reference
Full text of the article is available at
http://www.apa.org/journals/releases/neu192181.pdf
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-03/apa-bi030705.htm
January 2005
Diet, exercise, stimulating environment helps old dogs learn
A new study of beagles provides more evidence that
diet and mental stimulation are important in reducing or preventing
age-related cognitive decline. The study, involving 48 older beagles
(aged 7 to 11), compared four combinations of behavioral enrichment
(regular exercise and lots of mental stimulation) and
supplementation of diet with antioxidants had on a beagle's ability
to learn: regular diet and regular experience; regular diet and
enriched experience; regular experience and an enriched diet; and
enriched diet and an enriched experience. The study followed the
beagles over two years. Those in the groups with either an enriched
diet or enriched environment did better than those without either,
but those who had both the enriched diet and an enriched environment
did noticeably better than all the rest.
The study was published in the January 2005 issue of
Neurobiology of Aging.
Full reference
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-01/uot-mtc011705.htm
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-01/nioa-des011805.htm
June 2004
Being fluent in two languages may help keep the brain sharper for longer
A study of 104 people aged between 30 and 88 has found that those
who were fluent in two languages rather than just one were sharper
mentally. Those fluent in two languages responded faster on tasks
assumed to place demands on working memory, compared to those who
were fluent in just English, at all age groups. This is consistent
with the theory that constant management of 2 competing languages
enhances executive functions. Bilingual volunteers were also much
less likely to suffer from the mental decline associated with old
age. The finding is consistent with other research suggesting that
mental activity helps in protecting older adults from mental
decline. The participants were all middle class, and educated to
degree level. Half of the volunteers came from Canada and spoke only
English. The other half came from India and were fluent in both
English and Tamil.
The report appeared in the June issue of
Psychology and Aging.
Full
reference
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3794479.stm
November 2003
A British study questioned some 5,350 civil
servants aged between 35 and 55 about their participation in 13
leisure activities, ranging from DIY and housework to cultural
visits and evening classes. They were then given tests in verbal
memory, mathematical reasoning, vocabulary and verbal fluency.
Independent of socio-economic position, the highest level of
cognitive ability was associated with regular cultural visits to
theatres, art galleries and stately homes. This was closely followed
by reading and listening to music, then by involvement in clubs and
voluntary organisations, and participation in courses and evening
classes. The association was stronger among men. While the
researchers suggested that seeking mental stimulation may have a
beneficial effect on cognition in middle age, and the research was
popularly reported as indicating that “going to the pub is good for
the brain” (going to the pub was indeed associated with a slightly
higher cognitive ability, but less so that the afore-mentioned), it
must be remembered that correlation does not imply causation.
The research was published in the Journal of
Epidemiology and Community Health.
Full
reference
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3239641.stm
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/11/06/1068013332038.html
A 15-year study of 92 seniors found that those with a low sense of
self worth were more likely to suffer from memory loss as they got
older. Moreover, the brains of those with low self-worth were up to a
fifth smaller than those who felt good about themselves. It is
speculated that those who are anxious and think negatively may set
themselves up for memory loss by not bothering to engage themselves in
activities that would stimulate and enrich their brains.
The study was presented at a conference at the Royal Society in London.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3224674.stm
December 2002
6,158 persons aged 65 years and older from a biracial community in
Chicago self-rated current frequency of participation in seven
cognitive activities (e.g., reading a newspaper) and nine physical
activities (e.g., walking for exercise). Four years later, 842 of
those judged dementia-free were given a detailed clinical
evaluation. 139 of these met criteria for Alzheimer's on clinical
evaluation. When adjusted for age, education, sex, race, and
possession of the gene allele associated with Alzheimer's, a
one-point increase in cognitive activity score was associated with a
64% reduction in risk of Alzheimer's. Weekly hours of physical
activity had no effect. Education and occupation were both
associated with Alzheimer's risk, but these effects were
substantially reduced when cognitive activity was taken into
account.
The report was published in the December 24 issue of
Neurology.
Full
reference
November 2002
PET
scans of the prefrontal cortex reveal that older adults who perform
better on a simple memory task display more activity on both sides
of the brain, compared to both older adults who do less well, and
younger adults. Although this seems counter-intuitive – the older
adults who perform less well show activity patterns more similar to
that of younger adults, this supports recent theory that the brain
may change tactics as it ages, and that older people whose brain is
more flexible can compensate for some aspects of memory decline.
Whether this flexibility is neurological, or something that can be
taught, is still unknown.
The study appeared in NeuroImage.
Full reference
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/19/health/aging/19AGIN.html?8vd
October 2002
Earlier
research has indicated cognitively stimulating activities (such as
doing crosswords, playing scrabble, bridge, etc.) may help protect
against cognitive decline (and perhaps even Alzheimers). Now a new
report (not yet published) from the Institute for Social Research at
the University of Michigan supports and extends this research by
suggesting that simply talking helps keep your mind sharp at all
ages. The lead researcher also speculates that, by encouraging
children to develop their social skills, parents and teachers could
also be helping them to improve their intellectual skills. And in
the workplace, instead of encouraging employees to keep their noses
to computer monitors and complete their tasks, effective supervisors
might encourage them to take plenty of time out to socialize.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-10/uom-sig102202.htm
February 2002
A study of 700 seniors over several years
found that more frequent participation in cognitively stimulating
activities, such as reading books, newspapers or magazines, engaging
in crosswords or card games, was significantly associated with a
reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). General cognitive decline
was also less among people who did more cognitively stimulating
activities, in particular, in working memory, perceptual speed, and
episodic memory. It is not yet known whether engaging in such
activities helps prevent cognitive decline, or whether those who
develop cognitive impairment are less likely to engage in
cognitively stimulating activities.
The study appeared in the February 13 issue of the
Journal of the American Medical Association.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-02/nioa-io020802.htm
December 2001
1,772 people age 65 or older participated in a
7-year study that investigated the effect of leisure activities on
risk of dementia. It was found that, even when controlling for
factors like ethnic group, education and occupation, those with high
leisure activity had 38% less risk of developing dementia. There
also appeared to be a cumulative effect, with an additional 8% risk
reduction associated with each leisure activity engaged. Activities
of all kinds were shown to be beneficial, but intellectual
activities were associated with the highest risk reduction. The
report was published in the December 26 issue of
Neurology.
Full reference
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2001-12/aaon-lad121401.htm
March 2001
Memory failures in which you feel the information you want is "on
the tip of my tongue" appear to
occur because the memory trails to those items have become faint,
either because the items haven't been used regularly or because of
age. Similar sounding items can help recall. To keep your memory
trails strong, you need to use them - by reading, doing crosswords,
anything that uses language and keeps you meeting new words.
The study appeared in the November issue of the
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition.
http://unisci.com/stories/20004/1113005.htm
The Seattle Longitudinal Studies of adult intelligence suggested that the observed decline in many community-dwelling older people is probably a function of disuse and is often reversible. It was found that some 2/3 of participants in a cognitive training program showed significant improvement, and 40% of those who had declined significantly were indeed returned to their earlier (pre-decline) level of cognitive functioning. These training gains were retained over seven years.
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