Some studies suggest that the elderly are less likely to develop dementia than those who engage in recreational activities, suggesting that failure to participate in such recreation may exacerbate cognitive impairment. A new study suggests another explanation: Failure to participate in leisure activities may be the result of dementia, not a cause.
The researchers studied 8,280 people, an average of 56 years old, who were free of dementia at the start of the analysis. Over the next 18 years, participants periodically underwent physical and mental examinations, while researchers discovered their involvement in 13 recreational activities – listening to music, gardening, participating in cultural events, playing cards, using a home computer, and more. By the end of the project, 360 had developed dementia.
The study, in neurology, is controlled for smoking, physical activity, education, coronary heart disease and other health and behavioral characteristics that are tied to the risk of dementia. They found no association between engaging in leisure activities at age 56 and dementia events in the following 18 years.
Researchers have concluded that actively developing leisure activities does not provide protection against developing dementia. Andrew Somerlade, a lead author and researcher at University College London, said dementia develops over a long period of time, so it is possible for some changes to occur before the diagnosis of dementia. “Older people may develop signs of dementia back from the activities they used to enjoy.”
