To reply to a digest, insert the relevant message header; don't reply to the digest header ------------------------------------------------------------- "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 -------------------- 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 ----------------------------------------------------------------- The FAQ for Evolutionary Fitness is at http://www.evfit.com/faq.htm To unsubscribe from the list send an e-mail to [log in to unmask] with the words SIGNOFF EVOLUTIONARY-FITNESS in the _body_ of the e-mail.