Volunteering, sports club participation and regular social interaction help older adults preserve brain function and reduce the risk of cognitive decline, Medical News Today reports, according to infohub.kz.
That is the conclusion of the authors of an international study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. Taking part in three or more types of social activity was linked to better memory and executive brain function in older people.
The researchers examined data from five representative surveys covering about 58,000 people in 24 countries. They compared the nature and frequency of volunteers' social engagement with the results of cognitive testing. Older adults with more varied social activity were found to score higher on cognitive measures. Scores rose steadily with each additional activity, peaking among those engaged in three or more types.
Volunteering and sports groups delivered the most pronounced benefit, consistently lowering the risk of cognitive decline across all the surveys analyzed. Caring for children and taking educational courses also helped improve brain function scores year after year. Participation in religious, political or purely local community groups, however, showed no stable link to improved brain function.
According to geriatrician Sean Kennelly, social interaction gives the brain a comprehensive workout: a person listens, recognizes others' emotions, recalls details of conversations and makes decisions all at once. Experts note that the study aligns with the "use it or lose it" principle, which builds a cognitive reserve that helps protect against disease.