“Brain scans revealed that people with no symptoms of Alzheimer’s who engaged in cognitively stimulating activities throughout their lives had fewer deposits of beta-amyloid, a destructive protein that is the hallmark of the disease.
While previous research has suggested that engaging in mentally stimulating activities – such as reading, writing and playing games – may help stave off Alzheimer’s later in life, this new study identifies the biological target at play. This discovery could guide future research into effective prevention strategies.”
–Sarah Yang. “Lifelong Brain-stimulating Habits Linked to Lower Alzheimer’s Protein Levels.” UC Berkeley NewsCenter. January 23, 2012. Web.