Dementia has no cure, but researchers have found that certain activities could help in reducing the risk of the disease.
These activities include:
1. Physical Activity
A recent study has discovered that the thinning of brain structures may be linked to sitting too much. Hence, physical exercise is needed to add some mental stimulation.
"Both the basal ganglia and the cerebellum are key components in memory, habit, and movement. They both also are put to work in dance learning and execution," Samira Shuruk said, a professional dancer who is certified by the American Council on Exercise.
2. Learning Something New
A 2014 research compared those who learned new skills to those who performed activities that were not very mentally challenging. The result shows that the former had more significant gains in memory when followed up after a year. You can try something new like learning how to play a new instrument, or learning to speak a new language.
3. Socializing
"Socializing relieves stress, and there’s a huge connection between stress and problems with the brain as we get older," said Bryan James from the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago.
He also said that the human brain evolved to know about 150 people, so interacting with only one or two people can increase stress.
4. Reading
A study from Hong Kong analyzed 15,582 participants - aged 65 and older - who were free of dementia. A significantly reduced risk of dementia has been observed to those who engaged in intellectual activities like reading. Researchers suggest that reading likely delayed the onset of clinical dementia by improving cognitive reserve.