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voila! Learning a new language can reduce the risk of dementia by a fifth, research claims

  • It’s not just sudokus that can help protect language learning from Alzheimer’s disease
  • 282,000 British volunteers were tested for their responsiveness and memory

By Xantha Leatham, Deputy Science Editor of The Daily Mail

Updated:

Middle-aged people who attend school have a 19 percent lower risk of dementia five years later, according to a new study.

It is known that brainteasers, sudokus or even certain video games can help protect against Alzheimer’s disease.

But new research suggests that learning a new language or skill can also be beneficial.

Researchers analyzed data from 282,000 British volunteers aged between 40 and 69 and followed them for seven years.

Analysis found that participants who attended adult education classes at the start of the study had a 19 percent lower risk of developing dementia than those who did not

Participants were given an individual dementia risk score based on their DNA and self-reported whether they attended adult education classes.

During the study they were given a series of psychological and cognitive tests, for example reaction time and memory tests.

Over the course of the study, 1.1 percent developed dementia.

Analysis showed that participants who attended adult education classes at the start of the study had a 19 percent lower risk of developing dementia than those who did not.

These people better maintained their fluid intelligence—the ability to learn, assess, and navigate new situations—and nonverbal reasoning, which is the ability to solve problems presented in diagram or picture form. gauge than those who did not take classes.

Dr. Hikaru Takeuchi, the first author of the study at Tohoku University in Japan, said: “Here we show that people who attend adult education have a lower risk of developing dementia five years later.”

His co-author, Dr. Ryuta Kawashima, added: “One possibility is that engaging in intellectual activities has positive effects on the nervous system, which in turn may prevent dementia.”

They called for further testing to prove the protective effect of adult education, if any.

Their findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

WHAT IS DEMENTIA?

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of neurological conditions

A WORLDWIDE CARE

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological conditions (affecting the brain) that affect memory, thinking, and behavior.

There are many forms of dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common.

Some people may have a combination of different types of dementia.

Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person will experience dementia in their own unique way.

Dementia is a global problem, but it is most common in wealthier countries, where people are likely to live to a very old age.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED?

The Alzheimer’s Society reports that there are currently over 900,000 people living with dementia in Britain. This number is expected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting between 50 and 75 percent of those diagnosed.

There are an estimated 5.5 million people with Alzheimer’s disease in the US. A similar percentage increase is expected for the coming years.

As a person’s age increases, so does the risk that he or she will develop dementia.

The number of diagnoses is increasing, but it is believed that many people with dementia are still undiagnosed.

IS THERE A TREATMENT?

There is currently no cure for dementia.

But new drugs can slow its progression, and the sooner it’s caught, the more effective the treatments can be.

Source: Alzheimer’s Association

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