For older people struggling with dementia, it may not seem like an entirely hopeful condition.
However, new research that was published in JAMA Neurology has some positive news for those who are already showing signs of cognitive decline.
According to the findings, older adults who maintain a healthy lifestyle are more likely to have stronger cognitive skills in later life.
A look into the study
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from the Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP). They evaluated autopsy reports of over 750 individuals who were involved in the study from 1997-2022.
When evaluating the individuals’ lifestyles, there were five main factors that were taken into consideration to determine their health and wellness:
Engaging in at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week
Limiting alcohol consumption
Smoking status
Regular cognitive activity (crossword puzzles, playing checkers, etc.)
Following a Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurological Delay (MIND) diet
In addition to that self-reported data, the researchers also looked at each individual’s global cognitive score from nine different standardized tests. They also looked at the individuals’ brain pathology, including levels of Alzheimer’s markers and other related proteins in the brain.
Healthy habits matter
Ultimately, the biggest takeaway from the study was that those who had the healthiest lifestyles also had the best cognitive function prior to death.
This is important because this finding held up regardless of the individual’s brain pathology at the time of death. In other words, healthy habits were still beneficial for strong cognitive function in individuals who had dementia or Alzheimer’s at the time of death.
In thinking about older adults currently struggling with dementia, adopting these healthy habits can have a protective effect on cognitive function.
“While we must use caution in interpreting our findings, these results support the role of lifestyle in providing cognitive reserve to maintain cognitive function in older adults despite the accumulation of common dementia-related brain pathologies,” the researchers wrote.
The researchers hypothesize that this link between healthy habits and strong cognitive function could be explained by the anti-inflammatory/antioxidant nature of these habits.
While this would need more research to prove a direct cause and effect, with lower inflammation and oxidative stress can have both mental and physical health benefits.