Dementia 'delayed by keeping active'RSS Feed

Those who want to avoid the brain injury seen in dementia patients should minimise their risk by leading mentally, physically and socially active lives, one expert has said.

A team led by Laura Fratiglioni, at the Karolinska Institutet, found that although age is the main risk factor for dementia, research has shown that active involvement in mental, physical and social activities can delay the onset.

 "The brain, just as other parts of the body, requires stimulation and exercise in order to continue to function. Elderly people with an active life - mentally, physically and socially - run a lower risk of developing dementia, and it doesn't matter what the particular activities are," Professor Fratiglioni said.

This comes after Dr Roger Walsh at the University of California said that lifestyle changes such as getting more exercise can be as effective as drugs or counselling to treat many mental illnesses.

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Posted by Matthew Heap
 

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