According to a new study published in the August 4, 2009, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, those who engage in activities that exercise the brain (reading, writing, card games
According to a new study published in the August 4, 2009, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, those who engage in activities that exercise the brain (reading, writing, card games, etc.) may delay the rapid memory decline that occurs if they later develop dementia.
The study involved 488 people age 75 to 85 who did not have dementia at the start of the study. They were followed for an average of five years; during that time 101 of the people developed dementia. (That's a scary thought -- more than 20%.)
Before beginning the trial, researchers asked the participants how often they participated in six leisure activities that engage the brain: reading, writing, d