Education protects against memory loss
People with a high level of education and engaged in intellectual work have protection from memory disorders that precede Alzheimer's disease. This is the conclusion reached by the authors of the study published in today's issue of the journal Neurology.
The study by scientists from the University of San Raffaele and the National Institute of Neurology in Milan, Italy, involved 242 people with Alzheimer's disease, 72 people with moderate mental impairment (intermediate stage between normal and Alzheimer's disease) and 144 people without memory problems. In all volunteers, memory and learning ability were compared with the results of brain scans demonstrating glucose consumption (glucose metabolism is a universal indicator of organic damage to certain areas of the brain in Alzheimer's disease).
Observation of the participants of the experiment lasted 14 months. During this time, 21 people from the group of moderate mental impairment developed Alzheimer's disease.
It turned out that with the same degree of memory loss in people with a high level of education and engaged in intellectual work, organic brain damage was more significant. According to the author of the study, Valentina Garibotto, this phenomenon may be based on the fact that intellectual load creates a certain mental reserve in the brain, partially compensating for organic brain damage.
- Copper News based on ScienceDaily: Education Protects Against Pre-Alzheimer's Memory Loss
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru22.10.2008