Active lifestyles reduce the chance of dementia

Staying mentally active by engaging in activities that challenge and stimulate the mind may be a key factor in maintaining memory and other cognitive skills. A study of 469 healthy people over age 75, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that those who frequently engaged in leisure activities such as reading, playing board games, playing a musical instrument, or dancing were less likely to have developed dementia five or more years later.