Keeping the brain active to avoid dementia

A very large study of self-employed people living in France finds those who retired later had a lower risk of being diagnosed with dementia, in line with the idea that you either "use it or lose it."

Carole Dufouil of the Bordeaux School of Public Health, and colleagues, found that the risk of being diagnosed with dementia went down for each year of working longer. The study appears to confirm earlier research that suggests lifelong mental stimulation and challenge may protect against Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

So what to do?  The study doesn't tell people that they "shouldn't" retire, only that people who's minds are kept active are less likely to develop dementia.  Those that continued working remained active!  Bottom line, retired or not, stay active.  Board games, hobbies, clubs, working with others, these all keep the brain in gear.  And that's a good thing when it comes to avoiding dementia.

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