2023-08-27 15:10:00
“Cognitive activities conducted in mid-to-late life are associated with a lower rate of later cognitive decline and a lower risk of dementia over time,” indicated researchers from the University of Tōhoku (Japan). In a recent study, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neurosciencethe latter wanted to analyze the link between participation in adult education and the risk of dementia, from which more than 55 million people worldwide currently suffer and which is one of the main causes of disability and dependence among older people around the world.
282,000 adults took psychological and cognitive tests over seven years
For the purposes of their work, the scientists used data from the UK Biobank on 282,000 Britons aged 40 to 69. The participants, who were followed for seven years, were asked whether they were taking adult courses, for example courses to learn a new language. During the research, they had to perform psychological and cognitive tests, which assessed their reaction time and memory. Their DNA was also examined to determine their risk of dementia.
Dementia: participants retained their fluid intelligence
“Results revealed that participation in adult classes was associated with greater later retention of the fluid intelligence score (the ability to learn, assess and handle new situations)”, can we read in the results. Another observation: the volunteers who had taken courses for adults had also preserved their non-verbal reasoning, or the ability to solve problems in the form of an image. According to the authors, people who learned a new language were 19% less likely to suffer from cognitive decline five years later. “Participation in intellectual activities would have positive results on the nervous system, which might prevent dementia”, concluded Dr. Ryuta Kawashima, co-author of the study.
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