Research finds chess and crossword puzzles help reduce dementia risk

News

A Monash University Study of over 10,000 older Australians shed light on how best to help patients reduce their risk of dementia.


Posted in the Open JAMA Network medical journal, research finds that those who regularly engage in literacy and mental acuity tasks are 11% less likely to develop the disease.


These tasks include attending education classes, keeping a journal, playing games such as chess and crosswords, and using computers.


Meanwhile, the researchers found that creative hobbies such as crafts, knitting, painting and reading are less likely to reduce the risk, but could still reduce it by 7%.


“Cognitive stimulation of these activities may increase resilience against brain pathologies by increasing the number of neurons, enhancing synaptic activity and enabling greater efficiency in the use of brain networks,” the study found.


Dr Stephanie Daly, GP and Coordinator of the RACGP Care of the Elderly Special Interests Dementia Subgroup, said newsGP the more a patient can stimulate their brain in different ways, the more protective they will be.


“I think while the risk reduction for activities like knitting and painting is lower than playing chess, it still shows that social interaction and mental stimulation are good for your brain and better than not. reduction at all,” she said.


The study results were found to be the same for both men and women and remained the same even after adjusting for previous education level and socioeconomic status.


With Australia’s population aging and growing, dementia diagnoses are predicted to more than double over the next three decades.


Estimates from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare there were 401,300 Australians living with dementia last year.


It remains the second leading cause of death in Australia and the leading cause of death among women.


It is also the main burden of disease for people aged over 65 and more than 1.5 million Australians are now involved in the care of a person with dementia.


The report’s lead author, Associate Professor Joanne Ryan, hopes the findings will help healthcare professionals create targeted programs for their patients if the prevalence of dementia continues to rise as expected.


“While engaging in literacy and mental acuity activities may not be a magic pill for avoiding dementia, if that was your goal and you had to choose, our research certainly suggests that these are the activities most likely to promote prolonged good cognitive health,” she said. .


Dr Daly said timely diagnosis when symptoms are milder is likely to allow patients to adapt and take steps to maintain their independence.


“The pathological process that occurs in the brain in relation to Alzheimer’s disease in particular occurs in midlife, so targeting lifestyle change at this stage is the most important time to start. “, she said.


“However, it is important to note that risk reduction is [also] of value later in life, and even after a diagnosis has been made, so it is never too early or too late for these strategies.


“Harm reduction should be tailored to the individual, as should motivational interviewing so that individuals choose what they can change and make lasting changes rather than feeling overwhelmed and unable to contemplate any change.


“Above all, I guess it’s important to do a mentally stimulating activity that you enjoy rather than trying to play chess when you’re not interested in it simply because it’s slightly more beneficial for reducing risk.”


Dr Daly said dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, will increasingly be seen by primary care practitioners, and GPs should be prepared for this influx of patients.


“It’s worth digging into this area because you’ll be supporting and improving the quality of life for so many people, which ultimately is what a GP does best,” she said.


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AIHW Dementia