A mentally stimulating or tough job could postpone the onset of dementia by 1.5 years, says the report. Every year, around 10 million people are diagnosed with dementia and, worldwide, around 50 million people are living with this debilitating condition. Globally, it is one of the biggest causes of disability among older people. As life expectancy increases, particularly in medium and low-income economies, the incidence of dementia increases, too. Symptoms include failing memory, problems with emotional control and a general deterioration in cognitive performance, behavior and the ability to carry out everyday activities. Typically triggered by illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease or strokes, dementia is far more prevalent in older people, but is not considered a normal part of the aging process.
Active Minds
There may also be a link between the way you spend your working life and your risk of developing dementia as you get older. A study led by epidemiologist Mika Kivimäki of the UK’s University College London, examined data from 107,896 participants to assess whether people with more intellectually stimulating jobs face a lower dementia risk than those working in less cognitively demanding roles. Their report, Cognitive stimulation in the workplace, plasma proteins, and risk of dementia: three analyses of population cohort studies, was published in the British Medical Journal. It concludes that the risk of dementia in old age was: “Lower in individuals with cognitively stimulating jobs than in those with non-stimulating jobs.” While it won’t necessarily prevent dementia, mental stimulation may delay its onset by around a year and a half, the report says. One possible explanation seems to be that lower levels of plasma proteins were found in samples taken from study participants who performed more cognitively stimulating activities. These proteins may inhibit the development of healthy brain function.