How To Prevent Cognitive Decline After Middle Age: A Science-Based Approach
Studies reveal that over 50% of people mistakenly believe cognitive decline is simply a function of getting older. This misconception can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, causing people to disengage from mentally stimulating activities, physical activity, and socialization.
The good news? Your brain is more adaptable than you might think. Listen for a research-based dive into practical strategies to help mitigate cognitive decline.
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While any new learning is good, these three areas have been shown to have the most significant impact.
Dancing: Dancing may be the most powerful activity for cognitive health. Research shows it can reduce the risk of dementia by 76% and a meta-analysis showed it to improve memory, cognitive flexibility, visuospatial function, balance, and attention, thanks to the triumvirate of physical movement, mental challenges, and social interaction.
Language: Research indicates that bilingual individuals are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, with studies showing up to a 4.5-year delay in symptom onset compared to monolinguals.
Instrument: Similarly, learning to play an instrument enhances memory and spatial-temporal skills, with evidence suggesting improved neural plasticity.
The study Preventive Strategies for Cognitive Decline and Dementia: Benefits of Aerobic Physical Activity, Especially Open-Skill Exercise says it all: “Physical inactivity is highly associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.”
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There's no test you can have your doctor do on you but there is something called the 21-point Brain Care Score (BCS). A study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry found a notable association between scores on this test and later-life issues.
"Each five-point increase in the baseline BCS was associated with a 27% lower risk of incident stroke or incident dementia or late-life depression when adjusted for age and sex, and this difference was statistically significant "
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