Engaging in “mentally active” activities versus “mentally passive” ones while sitting or lounging may affect your risk for dementia, according to a recent study. In a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine last month, researchers evaluated over 20,000 adult participants in Sweden, most of whom were women. Researchers administered a baseline questionnaire to participants in 1997 to assess their mentally passive sedentary behaviors, such as watching TV and listening to music. The participants were evaluated for incident dementia nearly two decades later. Researchers found that each additional hour of mentally active sedentary behavior a day was associated with a 4% lower risk of dementia — and that adding mentally active sedentary behavior showed a higher protective effect for participants aged 50 to 64. Researchers noted that the study had some limitations. Hussein Yassine, a professor of neurology at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, emphasized to NBC News that phone and social media usage, which are considered mentally passive behaviors, may pose risks to our ability to concentrate. “It’s going to be affecting your ability to process information and potentially build synapses in certain areas in the brain that help with concentrating,” Yassine told the outlet. “So the next time you have a serious task or you need to concentrate, you’re less capable because your brain networks have been hijacked by this passive reception.” Among several other limitations cited in the study: Researchers pointed out that cognitive assessments were not done at the start, and it’s possible the sample may have included more prevalent cases of dementia, which may have resulted in a bias in the results. Over the course of months and years, that lack of engagement could contribute to decline in memory and thinking.” Wen cautioned, though, that the study doesn’t prove cause and effect. “It’s possible that people with better baseline cognitive function are more likely to choose mentally engaging activities,” she said. “So, while the findings are compelling, they should be interpreted as an association rather than proof that choosing passive activities directly leads to dementia.” Already a member? Dr. Dylan Wint, director of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, previously emphasized the importance of strengthening the brain in an interview with HuffPost. “You could try brain games, a new hobby, taking a class at a college or community center, or learning a new language or instrument,” Wint said. “When determining whether an activity can have some cognitive benefit, what’s most important is that you are challenged and learning.”
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dementia-study-mentally-active-passive-risk_n_69d8030ee4b048dba44c0db4