Keeping your brain active through continuous learning, not just formal education, could help protect against dementia in old age, new research from the University of Helsinki suggests.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), dementia is the deterioration in memory, thinking, behaviour, and the ability to perform everyday activities.
The study, published in PLOS One, found that people with more years of education showed better cognitive performance even at the age of 90, says Independent report.
However, researchers say the findings point to a broader message: activities that challenge the brain throughout life could strengthen what’s known as “cognitive reserve,” the brain’s resilience to ageing and disease.
Lead author Anni Varjonen explained that education may help the brain build defences against decline, but similar benefits could be achieved through lifelong mental and social engagement.
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“Not everyone can pursue a long formal education,” Ms Varjonen said. “But other activities-such as social engagement, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle habits — could help reduce dementia risk and build cognitive health.”
The research followed participants for half a century, beginning in 1975, and examined how education and health factors predicted mental performance in people over 90.
Those with at least 12 years of schooling performed significantly better on cognitive tests than those with fewer than seven years, highlighting education’s lasting impact.
Yet, co-author Eero Vuoksimaa noted that the findings underscore a wider challenge.
“There has been very little research on cognitive aging in people in their nineties, even though this age group is set to grow in the future,” he said by adding that the likelihood of memory disorders is highest in late old age.
The study comes amid growing evidence that brain-stimulating activities later in life , such as reading, puzzles, or adult education classes, can lower dementia risk.
Japanese researchers in 2023 found that older adults who took adult learning courses were 19% less likely to develop dementia within five years.
Experts say the takeaway is clear: keeping the mind active throughout life, whether through education, hobbies, or social connection, could be key to maintaining brain health into old age.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, around one million people in the United Kingdoms (UK) currently live with dementia, a number projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.
