Scientists have become very interested in unraveling the mystery of why fewer than one in 200 elderly have lived past 90 “without a trace of dementia”. By age 95, 40% of men and 60% of women will have some form of dementia. Dementia is probably one of the most feared conditions of getting older.
What is it that keeps this small number of folks dementia-free? Is it in their genes, their routines, their lives? Scientists are discovering that while it is important to challenge your mind (using the web, doing crossword puzzles, reading books), there is some evidence that a “social component may be crucial”.
One study in particular provides this evidence. USC researchers began a study in 1981, called the 90+ Study, including 14,000 people aged 65 and more than 1,000 over age 90. They found that people who spend long stretches, 3+ hours, playing cards may be at reduced risk of getting dementia.
What better place to study this phenomenon that at the retirement community of Laguna Woods! People must meet several requirements to gain entrance. They must not require full-time care. Their minds must be sharp when they arrive. There are fitness centers and over 400 residents’ clubs. One longtime resident sums up the prevailing philosophy of residents, “We live for the day.”
One of the biggest activity at Laguna Woods is….Contract Bridge. If you’ve played it, you know it requires a strong memory. Players must formulate their own strategy as well as following their partner’s strategy. Good players remember every card played. All residents know they’re at risk for dementia as they age, but they swear that very good players can play by instinct even as their memory fades. Some scientists believe people with deep experience in the game may be able to “draw on reserves to buffer memory lapses”. And, playing bridge also includes that critical ingredient of interacting with people regularly!
Scientists are also working hard to identify genes that may prove to be helpful in warding off dementia: a gene variant called APOE2 and a gene CETP. These discoveries provide a target for future treatments.
While we can’t control the genes we were born with, we can choose our social and mental activities. I’ve never been much of a card player, but after reading about the social and mental benefits of contract bridge, I want to give it a go! I’m also going to share this article with my elderly mother.
If you want to read more about the very engaged residents of Laguna Woods, read the entire NYTimes article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/health/research/22brain.html
