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An increasing amount of evidence suggests that a healthy lifestyle is linked to better thinking skills later in life. But few studies have looked at healthy lifestyle effects on memory in particular, and none have considered the effects on memory in people with a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Now a study from China offers insight. The study, published online Jan. 25, 2023, by BMJ, involved more than 29,000 people without dementia (average age 72). Participants initially underwent cognitive testing as well as genetic testing for genes known to raise risk for Alzheimer’s, and reported how well they stuck to six healthy lifestyle habits (eating a healthy diet, exercising, not smoking, not drinking alcohol, being socially active, and engaging in brain-challenging activities). Participants were followed for 10 years, periodically reporting their lifestyle habits and undergoing cognitive testing. At the end of the study, people who stuck to at least four healthy habits showed significantly slower memory decline than people who didn’t practice any healthy habits. This was true even among people with Alzheimer’s-related genes. The habits associated with the biggest effects were diet, cognitive activity, exercise, and social contact. The study was observational and doesn’t prove conclusively that a healthy lifestyle protected memory. But a healthy lifestyle has many health benefits, and you’ll only win by improving yours.
Image: © Heide Benser/Getty Images
Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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Thinking about becoming a pescatarian? What you should know about the pescatarian diet
Let’s not call it cancer
Chair exercises for seniors: Boosting strength, flexibility, and stamina
Why all the buzz about inflammation — and just how bad is it?
Chronic kidney disease: What to know about this common, serious condition
Beyond the usual suspects for healthy resolutions
COVID tests: Do at-home tests work on newer variants?
A liquid biopsy for metastatic prostate cancer
One way to combat loneliness? Strengthen relationships you already have
Feel like you should be drinking less? Start here
Mind & Mood
Mind & Mood
Mind & Mood
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By age 60, more than half of adults have concerns about their memory. However, minor memory lapses that occur with age are not usually signs of a serious problem, such as Alzheimer’s disease, but rather the result of normal changes in the structure and function of the brain. This report, Improving Memory: Understanding age-related memory loss, describes these normal age-related changes and other more serious causes of memory loss — and how to distinguish between them.
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