Training the mind with games reduces the risk of dementia
Alzheimer's and other types of dementias are conditions that every person would like to keep as far as possible as they get older. To prevent these diseases is the headache of many studies and there seems to be reason to be happy as a study by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health reveals that training the mind reduces the risk of suffering from these diseases.
A computer game can be the best way to train the mind for the prevention of dementia. This is shown by this study in which the majority of the participants who practiced their memory and other cognitive abilities with this training demonstrated that with the passage of time they had less risk of suffering from this type of affections.
More training, less risk
This study began in 1998 with the participation of close 3,000 people with an average age of 74 years. The members were distributed in three groups They varied in the following way: no training, training and training with subsequent reinforcement of these exercises. The data of this work have shown that currently approximately the 14% of these elderly people suffer from dementia.
But the funny thing is that those participants who completed 10 sessions about 70 minutes based on the processing of images seen on the screen of a computer, later only one 12,1% of the members of this group developed dementia. Percentage that was further reduced if these participants had held reinforcement sessions since only the 8'2% of these people suffered from this disease over the years.
However, as pointed out by those responsible for this study, it is still early to determine the effectiveness of this training in the development of dementia and indicate that despite these results they are promising, are only indications that this can be a good way to combat the future appearance of this disease. In short it warns that although these data are hopeful, still can not be taken into account as a general treatment for the fight against this evil.
Other tips to prevent dementia
In addition to this training, a good lifestyle It can help prevent dementia. Exercising daily and a balanced diet contribute to the risk reduction to suffer this disease. Here are some tips to apply in your day-to-day life that can help you avoid these long-term mental conditions:
1. Dream. A sleep routine should be maintained with a rest period of approximately 7-8 hours. It is also necessary to be attentive and evaluate the possible underlying sleep disorders, such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, since sleep disorders have been related to cognitive deterioration in older adults.
2. Exercise. The practice of aerobic exercise at least 40 minutes 3 times a week is very beneficial for aging with health and helps maintain a good cognitive function in the elderly.
3. Cognitive training. Keeping the brain in shape is a fundamental part of a person's life. Nor should we forget social activities, hobbies, leisure activities. In this way, keeping the brain active reading a book, doing memory exercises and in many other ways, helps in the prevention of dementia. Of course, remember that there are no standardized exercises.
4. Control of vascular risk factors. Do not forget at any time the "vascular risk factors" such as high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus or hypercholesterolemia. Even if a person does not have any of these problems, blood pressure and cholesterol should be monitored. Similarly, smoking is another risk factor for dementia that we can modify if we try hard.
Damián Montero
