This large study shows it is not only education, but cognitive stimulation that reduces your risk of dementia in old-age. This was associated with peripheral biomarkers. Very interesting and important
I found the blend of everyday experience to physiological objectivity “stimulating”, and something (perhaps) I had observed with my parents. As a Psychologist (amateur first and then licensed, trained and professional), it was obvious to me the automatic nature of some people’s minds- how they automatically perceive and react the same way in different situations. That is fine to a point, but when it is done so automatically without consideration of alternatives, I wondered, is the brain really working? So my parents were not deep thinkers and even resisted the invitation to look at things in more detail, for fear they might be wrong about some far reaching decisions they had made in their lifetimes. So I have often wondered, is this automatic “wiring”, in some, another potential factor behind dementia? My father led a more healthy lifestyle but succumbed to Alzheimer’s type dementia. My mother was less “healthy” and succumbed to dementia brought about by high blood pressure, etc. Both were very cruel endings (in their early 80’s) and I have always hoped that perhaps I would not follow in their footsteps. My mother would be easier not to follow, my father, no so much. But clearly, even though a smart guy, he was done with thinking and preferred fishing.
I found the blend of everyday experience to physiological objectivity “stimulating”, and something (perhaps) I had observed with my parents. As a Psychologist (amateur first and then licensed, trained and professional), it was obvious to me the automatic nature of some people’s minds- how they automatically perceive and react the same way in different situations. That is fine to a point, but when it is done so automatically without consideration of alternatives, I wondered, is the brain really working? So my parents were not deep thinkers and even resisted the invitation to look at things in more detail, for fear they might be wrong about some far reaching decisions they had made in their lifetimes. So I have often wondered, is this automatic “wiring”, in some, another potential factor behind dementia? My father led a more healthy lifestyle but succumbed to Alzheimer’s type dementia. My mother was less “healthy” and succumbed to dementia brought about by high blood pressure, etc. Both were very cruel endings (in their early 80’s) and I have always hoped that perhaps I would not follow in their footsteps. My mother would be easier not to follow, my father, no so much. But clearly, even though a smart guy, he was done with thinking and preferred fishing.