Study: Lifelong learning lowers risk of dementia

Boosting brain power: Picking up a new skill, such as cooking, may lower the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. – 123rf.com

Middle-aged and senior citizens in adult education have a 19% lower risk of developing dementia, like Alzheimer’s, within five years, researchers from the Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer of Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, found.

Regularly engaging in adult education classes, for example learning a language or a new skill, may lower the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, according to the study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience on Aug 23.