One Habit That Can Decrease Dementia Risk, Reveals Recent Study

In the realm of healthy aging, habits like exercise and eating nutritious foods are well-known. However, a new study suggests that there is another practice that should be added to the list: learning.

Research published in the journal “Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience” reveals that middle-aged and older adults who participated in adult education classes had a 19% lower risk of developing dementia within five years compared to those who did not engage in such classes. The study did not specify the frequency or type of classes attended by the participants.

The study analyzed data from 282,421 individuals aged 40 to 69 from the U.K. Biobank, who enrolled between 2006 and 2010. Participants were followed for an average of seven years, during which approximately 1.1% of them developed dementia.

The study found that adult education class participants had a “greater subsequent retention of fluid intelligence score.” This refers to the ability to recall new information that changes over time. According to Dr. Zaldy Tan, the director of the Jona Goldrich Center for Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders at Cedars-Sinai in California, fluid intelligence is crucial for answering questions like “What did you have for breakfast?” or “What are you doing this weekend?” On the other hand, crystallized intelligence pertains to information that remains constant over time, such as the answer to “Where did you go to college?” or “Where are you from?” Tan noted that even individuals with mild cognitive impairment often exhibit excellent crystallized intelligence.

Adult education classes not only contributed to participants’ fluid intelligence but also improved their non-verbal reasoning performance. However, their reaction time and visuospatial memory remained unchanged. These are all essential factors for maintaining cognitive health. Early signs of dementia include difficulties with word recall and sentence construction.

Dr. Zaldy Tan finds the study’s results refreshing but not surprising. He explains that as people age, their opportunities for learning new things tend to decrease. Retirement reduces the chances for intellectual stimulation that were present during one’s working life. Additionally, having children move out of the family home eliminates the mental stimulation that comes from raising a family. Therefore, as individuals transition into later life, they must consciously seek intellectual stimulation to maintain brain health.

Tan compares learning something new to exercising the mind, just as one would exercise their heart and muscles for physical health. Attending classes, in particular, requires mental stimulation and learning. Planning how to get to the class, considering the route, and interacting with new people provide the brain with valuable new information to process.

Furthermore, Tan emphasizes the importance of in-person classes, as they offer not only topic-specific knowledge but also cognitive stimulation throughout the entire process. Learning new things strengthens the connections between brain cells, increasing brain plasticity and adaptability to change. This is why individuals with higher levels of formal education tend to have a lower risk of dementia later in life.

However, Tan asserts that attending adult education classes alone is not sufficient for maintaining brain health. It is essential to engage in various activities, such as getting enough sleep, controlling blood pressure, exercising, and refraining from smoking. Cross-training cognitive abilities is key to overall cognitive well-being.

While this research is promising, the study authors stress the need for randomized controlled trials to establish a direct causal link between attending adult education classes and dementia prevention. Tan concurs, stating that while attending such classes helps reduce the risk, it does not guarantee dementia prevention.