It is widely accepted that intellectual engagement promotes the maintenance of cognitive abilities in old age, also known as the „use it or lose it“ theory. A study from the Christmas 2018 issue of the British Medical Journal shows: There is definitely something to it – but it's not quite that simple.
Researchers wanted to find out if there is a connection between intellectual engagement and cognitive abilities in old age. The main question was whether an age-related decline in mental performance can be compensated for by engaging in intellectual and active pursuits, such as reading newspapers, doing crossword puzzles, or playing an instrument. Scientists Roger T. Staff and colleagues from the University of Aberdeen conducted a prospective longitudinal study for this purpose. They examined just under 500 women and men from Northeast Scotland, all born in 1936. Since the participants had all taken part in the Scottish Mental Health Survey in 1947, relevant data on their childhood mental abilities was already available.
Problem-solving activities showed the strongest association with positive cognitive development
For the assessment of intellectual engagement, the researchers used a questionnaire. To evaluate the course of cognitive performance, they examined how quickly participants could process information and how their verbal memory developed at several points over a period of 15 years.
In the results, the researchers found a significant correlation between intellectual engagement and later-life cognitive abilities. However, self-reported engagement (from the questionnaires) was not linked to the development of mental performance. Engagement in activities aimed at problem-solving correlated most strongly with positive cognitive development.
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