Surprising hobby that may help ward off dementia, according to scientists
It's a hobby often associated with teenagers .
But keeping a diary – or a journal – may potentially help older people ward off dementia, research suggests.
Researchers crunched the stats of 10,000 people living in Australia over the age of 70 who were followed for around a decade.
It showed that participants who took part in more literacy activities – such as keeping a journal, writing letters or using a computer – were 11 per cent less likely to develop dementia.
Other brain-consuming activities such as chess, crosswords, boardgames, and puzzles was linked to a 9 per cent reduced risk.
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Engaging in literary activities - such as keeping a diary or writing letters - can lower the risk of dementia, the study suggests (stock photo) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)The researchers also wrote that artistic activities such as woodwork, metalwork, painting or drawing, and passive mental activities such as reading newspapers or listening to music, led to a 7 per cent reduced risk of developing the disease.
But sadly, social outings and interactions did not appear to have any effect.
Writing in the journal Jama Network Open the team, from Monash University in Melbourne, said: ‘These results suggest that engagement in adult literacy, creative art, and active and passive mental activities may help reduce dementia risk in late life.
‘For older adults, lifestyle enrichment may be particularly important because it could help prevent dementia through modifications to daily routines.
‘An enriched lifestyle with diverse leisure activities may reflect an optimistic personality and confer cognitive benefits by stimulating the growth of neurons and synapses and promoting well-being.’
The team added that their findings may help improve policies for elderly care and focus dementia prevention for older adults.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there around 50 million people with dementia globally, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year.
A 2021 study estimated that global dementia cases will nearly triple to reach more than 152 million by 2050, driven by an ageing population.
The highest increase in dementia prevalence is projected to be in eastern sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East, the University of Washington experts said.
What is dementia?
"Dementia is an umbrella term to explain different conditions with similar symptoms, such as memory loss, confusion and a change in behaviour and communication," explains Ian Le Guillou from the Alzheimer’s Society.
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"These symptoms develop progressively over a number of years."
Dementia occurs as a result of damage to the brain, or the death of brain cells that deal with brain functioning.
The three common types of dementia
1. "Some people will have a combination of more than one type," says Ian, but two-thirds of sufferers will have Alzheimer’s. ‘This is where brain cells are destroyed by a build-up of abnormal proteins,’ explains Ian.
2. The second most common form of dementia is vascular, which 20% of dementia patients have. "This is where the brain is damaged due to a lack of oxygen, which can happen after a stroke, or a series of small strokes that occur over a period of time."
3. Finally, dementia with Lewy Bodies occurs due to abnormal collections of protein in the nerve cells of the brain. It can cause hallucinations or seeing things that do not exist, as well as memory loss.
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