London - If you’re finding work a little stressful, take solace from the fact that you may be protecting yourself against dementia.
Those with a demanding job had half the rate of decline in memory and thinking capacity in later life compared with those in undemanding work, research suggests.
Lead researcher Dr Francisca Then, at the University of Leipzig, said: “Our study is important because it suggests that the type of work you do throughout your career may have even more significance on your brain health than your education does.”
Researchers have debated whether a more stimulating environment may build up a person’s “cognitive reserve”, acting as a buffer allowing the brain to function in spite of damage, or whether people with higher thinking skills tend to go into more challenging occupations. The study, in the journal Neurology, involved 1 054 people over 75 who were quizzed about their work history – with tasks divided into three categories covering skills such as developing strategies, interpreting information and analysing data.
The group was given tests that measured their memory and thinking abilities every one-and-a-half years for eight years.
Results found those whose careers included the highest level of the tasks scored more on the thinking and memory tests over people with the lowest level. They also had the slowest rate of cognitive decline and over eight years. Their rate of decline was half the rate of participants with a low level of mentally demanding work tasks.
Dr Then’s findings follow a study from Pennsylvania State University in the US that found having a demanding job may help people survive three years longer after developing frontotemporal dementia – which results in changes in personality and problems with language, but does not affect memory.
Last year, a Scottish study found workers doing jobs such as doctors, lawyers, architects and teachers were less at risk of dementia in later life.
Daily Mail