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"Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly"

Background Participation in leisure activities has been associated with a
lower risk of dementia. It is unclear whether increased participation in
leisure activities lowers the risk of dementia or participation in leisure
activities declines during the preclinical phase of dementia.

Among leisure activities, reading, playing board games, playing musical
instruments, and dancing were associated with a reduced risk of dementia.

From the New England Journal of Medicine

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/348/25/2508
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This would appear to be one of the areas for Evolutionary Fitness to make
some major breakthroughs.  While, on the one hand, the fitness of humans
beyond their breeding age may have been less important in the Pleistocene,
the wisdom of the elders must have helped get threatened groups and tribes
over the line.

Why I see this area as being ready for breakthroughs is because so little
has been done.  The bookshelves are full of advice to keep your brain
active, but the recommendations that we take on crossword puzzles for a
dementia-free old age lacks credibility.

I expect the answer is going to lie in physical activity (to keep
circulation going up there in the brain) and particular types of mental
activity.

Foremost among those types of mental activity will be interacting in a way
that is recognized by all group members as making a positive contribution
to group well-being.  Grandparents and great aunts and uncles in an
extended family is the model.

Next may be learning a new language, creative craft work (like wood work;
not like painting by numbers) with unlimited opportunities for skill
improvement, taking on a support role for the extended family or
neighbours: vegetable gardening, housework etc.

Any other ideas?

Keith

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