New Study Finds Three Methods That Should Help Prevent Dementia

Results from a new research claim to have found three methods, the most promising ones, that could potentially help prevent or slow down cognitive decline and dementia. These interventions are an increased physical activity, brain training, and blood pressure management.

However, the report states that although encouraging, research results are still inconclusive, so more studies are still needed.

Three Methods of Preventing Cognitive Decline

This new study was commissioned by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute on Aging (NIA). This asked experts on the matter to carry out an extensive review. One that included all the current data and materials on dementia and cognitive decline and also possible interventions against them.

This study was conducted by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) specialists. They determined that none of the currently used prevention interventions are based or supported by substantial evidence.

However, they also pointed out the promising nature of three specific methods that could help with dementia and cognitive decline. Still, even the evidence for them is somewhat inconclusive and limited.

One of the proposed methods, brain training, is focused on enhancing the brain’s processing speed, reasoning, or memory. Such activities have been proven to be successful in boosting cognitive performances. But as the specialists pointed out, their long-term benefits are still to be determined. For the moment, they are still inconclusive and unclear.

An increased physical activity, another one of the three most promising methods, presented the same parameters. Although its effects are encouraging, their long-term results are still undetermined.

Some specialists associated blood pressure and the cardiovascular health with cognitive decline. So experts consider that blood pressure management could potentially be an efficient manner of delaying Alzheimer’s.

Still, neither of these three methods is based on strong evidence. As such, the experts behind the report stated that they cannot strongly promote or support the use of such intervention methods. Although each in itself could reportedly be useful for the health by itself, point out researchers.

Image Source: Pixabay