Intellectual Activity Helps In Brain Development And Prevents Dementia

There is strong evidence that those who stay intellectually active have a lower probability of falling into dementia as compared to those with average mental activity.

We are a product of our own actions and this is more than evident in the context of dementia. 

The long-term study conducted by researchers from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago clearly confirmed this view. Scientists recruited 294 people aged 55 years or older. Participants were administered tests to assess their memory and were also asked associated questions like as to whether they read books or write letters. When brains were examined after their death, it was evident that those who read and wrote more often invariably showed better memory retention and exhibited fewer pathological changes in the brain tissue. Those who were mentally active exhibited a slower onset of dementia, by 15% on average.  The study concluded that exercising the brain during the lifetime ensures an active and healthy brain in old age.

IQ and the thickness of cortex

Many researchers subscribe for so-called “use-it-or-lose-it” hypothesis: an organ which is not exercised becomes under-performing. Brain is no exception. The thickness of brain cortex, the outermost layer of brain responsible for thinking and intelligence, depends on how actively the brain is used. It is assumed that with the advancing age the cortex thins out and dementia set in. Active use of brain slows down this process.

Recently published comprehensive study involved 600 people from Scotland who were tracked from the age of 11 through to the age of 70. All subjects were born in the year 1936 and had their IQ measured at the age of 11 and then at 70 years of age. The brains were scanned at the age of 73 and the cortex thickness evaluated. Researchers found a clear correlation between the IQ levels and cortex thickness thus confirming the connection between brain anatomical features, its activity, and dementia.

The debates still continue whether the intelligence and IQ are the functions of a personal genetic makeup or they can be “nurtured” during the lifetime.  The general consensus amongst psychiatrists and behavioral scientists is that although genetics plays role, the active use of brain can significantly improve its functioning. It is not a big surprise, therefore, that those into intellectually demanding professions invariably acquire a thicker cortex. Consequently, those with higher intelligence would have a lower probability of developing dementia later in life.

Lifetime experience counts

During the golden years everyone experience some losses of cortex tissues. Obviously, those with thicker cortex are less affected by the loss and have lower chances to develop the symptoms of dementia. It would be fairly accurate to conclude that early intellectual development helps to stay mentally active and free from dementia later in life. This conclusion emphasizes once more the importance of intellectual activities for children and young adults.