The Success You Experience In Life Can Act As A Shield Against Dementia And Other Cognitive Issues As You Age
A recent study has found that your life achievements can act as a sort of shield that guards against memory loss, dementia, and other cognitive issues as you age.
Higher levels of professional success, which were determined by your education, job, and bank account in the study, help build mental resilience, shaping your long-term brain health.
Researchers from the University of College London tracked more than 8,400 adults aged 50 and older for over a decade. They identified a relationship between socioeconomic status and brain health.
People with professional careers, higher education, and more financial resources have a significantly reduced risk of developing cognitive impairment. If early signs of decline do appear, they also have a much higher chance of recovering.
The study followed participants from 2008 to 2019, tracking their cognitive health through cognitive tests, medical diagnoses, and self-reported symptoms.
The researchers wanted to investigate how individuals transitioned between a healthy state of mind, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia.
They used statistical methods called Markov models to predict the odds of these transitions based on factors like education, occupation, and wealth.
The results showed that individuals with post-secondary education were 43 percent less likely to go from a healthy mental state to mild cognitive impairment.
Post-secondary education typically refers to continuing education beyond high school, such as by attending college.
Stock 4 You – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual people – pictured above a smiling man and woman stand next to each other in an office building
People in the wealthiest third of the population demonstrated a 26 percent lower chance of going from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.
In addition, the wealthier participants had a 56 percent greater likelihood of returning to a healthy mental state, while those with higher education were 81 percent more likely to recover.
“Our findings highlight the potential protective power of financial stability and access to resources in promoting brain health and cognitive resilience,” said Dr. Dorina Cadar, the senior author of the study.
The researchers explained that higher education and careers that challenge you to use your mental faculties may help to exercise and strengthen the brain.
People with more financial resources also usually have better access to healthcare, preventive care, nutritious food, and opportunities for exercise.
“It is possible that education and intellectually demanding jobs provide more mental stimulation and help to build a stronger brain reserve to help protect individuals against cognitive impairment and dementia,” said Aswathikutty Gireesh, the lead author of the study.
Overall, your brain’s health might be more connected to your life’s accomplishments than you ever thought. They do more than just boost your résumé—they are also preserving your mental acuity.
It is worth investing in your education and maintaining cognitive engagement to defend yourself against mental decline.
Addressing inequalities in educational and economic opportunities could improve the quality of life as people get older.
The details of the study were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
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