196. Why is exposure to intellectually stimulating environments needed?

Personally, I find the ideas of coma, Alzheimer's, and dementia frightening because of my close observations of these conditions. 

So, I try to keep track of the related news and research reports on these three deadly diseases, if you call them diseases. 

But before discussing how we can protect ourselves, it is necessary to know how it can be detected before it arrives. Predicting who is going to get dementia in the future will be vital for suggesting precautions that can prevent the irreversible loss of brain cells that causes the symptoms of dementia.

First, a study at Queen Mary University of London suggests that the brain’s function begins to change many years before dementia symptoms appear. This could help us identify those changes more precisely using an MRI scan that you could perform on any NHS scanner. 

Scientists used a 10-minute 'resting' brain scan to predict who might develop dementia, achieving about 80% accuracy up to nine years before diagnosis. This research comes as new Alzheimer’s treatments are approaching.

Although age and genetics remain the biggest risk factors for dementia, and many people worldwide believe dementia is unavoidable, reports indicate otherwise. You can significantly improve your chances of avoiding or delaying dementia. It’s never too early or too late to take steps to lower your risk of this incurable disease. 

Reports indicate that the global population of people with dementia is projected to nearly triple to 153 million by 2050. However, several reports suggest that almost half of dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or delayed. 

A report published in The Lancet a year ago concluded that 27 of the world’s leading dementia experts concluded that far more cases could be avoided or delayed. 

It states that preventing 14 risk factors can reduce the likelihood of dementia. These factors include lower education levels, hearing impairment, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, depression, lack of physical activity, diabetes, excessive alcohol intake, traumatic brain injury, air pollution, social isolation, high levels of low-density lipoprotein or “bad” cholesterol in midlife from around age 40, and untreated vision loss in old age.

The report states that healthy lifestyles—such as regular exercise, avoiding smoking, engaging in cognitive activities in midlife (including informal learning), and limiting alcohol intake—not only reduce the risk of dementia but may also delay its onset.

To lower the risk of dementia throughout life, it is important to provide hearing aids for those with hearing loss, minimize harmful noise exposure, and begin detecting and managing high cholesterol from around age 40. Incorporating daily physical activity, whether through walking or seated exercises, is also beneficial, especially for those who lead sedentary lifestyles. 

Additional recommendations include ensuring accessible screening and treatment for vision impairments for everyone, offering children quality education, and remaining cognitively active during midlife.

Some time ago, another study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that individuals with higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) had better cognitive function and a lower risk of dementia. The study supports the idea that maintaining a healthy lifestyle—such as staying fit, not smoking, and avoiding excessive drinking—can help lower the risk.

Similarly, a report released by U.S. researchers, regarded as the most credible due to involving over 100,000 participants over forty years, indicated that consuming processed red meat may considerably raise the risk of dementia. The findings were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association international conference in the US.

Processed red meat has already been associated with increased risks of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. The researchers now suggest they have found a possible connection to dementia.

A new study by Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology, reveals that participating in intellectually stimulating activities like reading, writing, or learning a new language throughout life is linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease—the most common dementia form—and a slower cognitive decline.

That means it is necessary to develop a lifelong exposure to intellectually stimulating environments from early life, and consistent engagement in mentally stimulating activities remains the best solution. 

I will add to the list of experts' suggestions that visiting libraries and museums, as well as fostering a lifelong love of learning, should be fundamental to our daily life. That means staying mentally active throughout life can cut the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. 

I have started working on it. Do you?