Lifelong Reading and Learning Linked to 38 Percent Lower Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
A study published in the journal Neurology found that people with the highest levels of lifelong cognitive enrichment, including reading, writing, and learning languages, had a 38 percent lower risk of Alzheimer's disease compared to those with the least. Researchers at Rush University Medical Center followed 1,939 participants over eight years. Those with the most enrichment developed Alzheimer's at an average age of 94, compared to 88 for those with the least.
People who read, write, and engage in other mentally stimulating activities throughout their lives have a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the journal Neurology.
Researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago followed 1,939 participants, with an average age of 80, over an average of eight years. They measured lifetime cognitive enrichment across three life stages: early life, middle age, and later life.
When comparing the top 10 percent of participants to the bottom 10 percent, researchers found a 38 percent reduction in the risk of Alzheimer's disease and a 36 percent reduction in the risk of mild cognitive impairment.
The timing of onset also differed sharply. Participants with the highest levels of cognitive enrichment developed Alzheimer's at an average age of 94, compared to age 88 for those with the least enrichment. For mild cognitive impairment, the gap was seven years.
Autopsy data from participants who died during the study showed that those with higher lifetime enrichment maintained better memory and thinking skills even when their brains showed the same levels of Alzheimer's-related protein buildup as those with lower enrichment.
Researchers defined cognitive enrichment broadly. In early life, it included being read to, having access to books and newspapers at home, and learning a foreign language. In middle age, it included magazine subscriptions, library cards, and museum visits. In later life, it included the frequency of reading, writing, and playing games.
The study shows an association, not a direct cause. Researchers note that participants reported their early and midlife experiences from memory, which introduces the possibility of recall bias.
