Seeing friends regularly lowers dementia risk, study suggests
As per the new research, being socially active in your 50’s and 60’s, in later life lowers the risk of developing dementia.
University College London academics found that somebody who saw friends almost daily at the age of 60 was 12% was less likely to develop dementia as compared to those who saw only one or two friends every duo of months.
According to the researchers, ‘At any age having an active social life might well have a same impact on reducing the risk of dementia.’
As per the Professor Gill Livingston, a senior author of the report, socializing promotes the use of language and memory, which can help in minimizing the effect of dementia. She said, ‘People who are engaged socially are cognitive skills like language and memory, which can help them in developing cognitive reserve, whereas it may not stop their brains from changing, cognitive preserve could help people in coping better with the effects of age and holdup any symptoms of dementia.’
‘If someone spend more time with friends then it can also be good for mental wellbeing, and may associate with being physically active, both of which may also decrease the risk of developing dementia.’
Whereas, past studies have found a connection between dementia risk and social contact, the latest study, published in the PLOS Medicine journal, offers the ‘most robust evidence to date’ for supporting the theory, as per the statement of University.
The data has been used by researchers from a study tracking over 10,000 people from the year 1985.
On six occasions, participants were asked about the frequency with which they socialized with their relatives and friends.
Moreover, the lead author of the study, Dr. Andrew Sommerlad, said that dementia poses a ‘main global health challenge’, about 1 million people expected to have the sickness in the United Kingdom by the year 2021.
