Brain Activity

Keeping the brain active and [blank] appears to combat the cognitive decline associated with getting older. Now a study has found a new, but related, factor in maintaining a sharp mind -- the space in which we live. Researchers [blank] almost 1,300 senior citizens, none of whom showed any signs of clinical dementia at the start of the study. The participants had their cognitive function tested annually for up to eight years. They also described their living space. For example, maybe they mostly hung around their bedroom. Perhaps they [blank] time in the yard. Or frequently travelled. By the end of the study, 180 people had Alzheimer's. And those whose life-space narrowed in on their immediate home were almost twice as likely to develop the condition as those who [blank] out. Homebound folks also had an increased risk of other cognitive impairments and a faster rate of cognitive decline. The research was published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. The study's lead investigator, Bryan James of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, suggests that, "Perhaps life space is an indicator of [blank] much we are actively engaging and challenging our cognitive abilities."