Tackling puzzles and keeping fit 'does not stave off Alzheimer's'

A study of elderly people found that keeping body and mind active with puzzles has no impact on the suspected underlying cause of Alzheimer's. Photo / 123RF

Completing the crossword and taking regular exercise may ease the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease - but will not prevent it, scientists say.

A study of elderly people found that keeping body and mind active with puzzles and gardening has no impact on the suspected underlying cause of Alzheimer's - a build-up of protein deposits in the brain.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital studied 186 volunteers with an average age of 74 who did not show symptoms of the disease.

They were asked about their levels of physical and mental activity over their lives, given tests of their mental ability, and wore pedometers to track exercise levels.

Their brains were then scanned for signs of amyloid-beta deposits - the key marker of Alzheimer's disease. The hippocampus, a part of the brain linked to memory, was also examined for signs of shrinkage - another sign of the condition.

The scientists found that although those who engaged in stimulating mental activities had much higher IQs and better thinking skills, there was no relationship between frequent mental activity and the physical signs of Alzheimer's in the brain.

But study co-author Dr Keith A Johnson warned older people not to abandon exercise and puzzles, as although they would not stop the underlying disease, they would still help their brains function.

"Sustaining a lifetime of intellectual engagement may help preserve cognitive function into old age," he added.

- Daily Mail