Play 'mind' games to maintain memory, delay onset of dementia

by mtammas | February 19, 2009 at 08:50 pm

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'Mind' games, activities that stimulate the brain like knitting and reading, can delay the onset of dementia according to a new study to be presented at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.

And findings indicate that watching television may actually accelerate memory loss.

Engaging in a hobby like reading a book, making a patchwork quilt or even playing computer games can delay the onset of dementia, a US study suggests.

Watching TV however does not count - and indeed spending significant periods of time in front of the box may speed up memory loss, researchers found.

Nearly 200 people aged 70 to 89 with mild memory problems were compared with a group who had no impairment.

The findings are to be presented to an American Academy of Neurology meeting.

Researchers at the famed Mayo Clinic in Minnesota questioned volunteers about their leisure activities and found that middle-aged people who read, played games or had hobbies such as knitting reduced their risk of memory loss by as much as 40 per cent. The same interests reduced risk in older adults by 30 to 50 per cent. And watching more than 7 hours of TV a day may result in impaired memory function.

Sarah Day, head of public health at the Alzheimer's Society said: "One million people will develop dementia in the next 10 years so there is a desperate need to find ways to prevent dementia.

"Exercising and challenging your brain - by learning new skills, doing puzzles such as crosswords, and even learning a new language - can be fun.

"However, more research, where people are followed up over time, is needed to understand whether these sorts of activities can reduce the risk of dementia."