Early retirement can speed up dementia because you don’t use your brain as much, research suggests

Early retirement sounds like a dream to most of us, but it can actually increase the risk of dementia.

A study of people in rural China found that people who stop working around age 60 experience greater cognitive decline than their peers.

Researchers believe that most people’s brains are more stimulated when they work and socialize in an office or work environment.

Experts recommend playing word games and reading in retirement to stay mentally active and avoid cognitive problems.

The latest study published in the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organizationuse data from China’s National Rural Pension Scheme (NRPS).

The NRPS was established in 2009 to provide older people with income support made up of both government and voluntary contributions.

Individuals 16 and older can participate in the program.

To date, almost all rural residents in China over 60 are eligible for the pension scheme, which is voluntary rather than compulsory.

“The program was introduced because of China’s rapidly aging population and in an effort to alleviate poverty in old age,” said Plamen Nikolov, assistant professor of economics at Binghamton University, State University of New York (SUNY) in New York York, lead author of the study.

Researchers analyzed this program using a cognitive study called the Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) to see how retirement plans affect cognitive performance.

Questions were asked about complex financial decisions, their healthcare and long-term care choices.

Participants in the retirement program reported a lower frequency of regular alcohol consumption compared to the previous year, which the researchers called positive.

But they also found that participants reported lower rates of volunteering and social interaction than non-beneficiaries.

When the researchers dug deeper, the early retirees also performed worse on cognitive tests.

The study found that the biggest predictor of cognitive decline was delayed memory, a measure often associated with predicting dementia in a patient.

“People in the areas where the NRPS program is used do significantly worse than those who live in areas where the NRPS program is not offered,” says Nikolov.

The team said it cannot be certain that early retirement is the true cause of the cognitive decline, and it does not rule out other lifestyle and socioeconomic factors.

But Nikolov said there is no question that older people need to participate in social activities to prevent dementia.

Social engagement and connectedness are perhaps the strongest determinants of cognitive performance in old age.

WHAT IS DEMENTIA?

Dementia is a generic term used to describe a range of neurological disorders

A WORLDWIDE CARE

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders (affecting the brain) that affect memory, thinking and behaviour.

There are many forms of dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common.

Some people have a combination of different forms of dementia.

Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person experiences dementia in their own unique way.

Dementia is a global problem, but it is most common in wealthier countries where people are likely to live to a very old age.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ASKED?

The Alzheimer’s Association reports that there are more than 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK today. By 2040, this number is expected to rise to 1.6 million.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting between 50 and 75 percent of people diagnosed.

There are an estimated 5.5 million people with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States. A similar percentage increase is expected for the coming years.

The risk of developing dementia also increases with age.

Diagnosis rates are improving, but many people with dementia are believed to remain undiagnosed.

IS THERE A MEDICINE?

There is currently no cure for dementia.

But new drugs can slow its progression, and the earlier it’s caught, the more effective treatments can be.

Source: Alzheimer’s Association