Staying busy may improve your memory, suggests a study
published May 17, 2016, in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.
Researchers examined 330 adults ages 50 to 89 from the
Dallas Lifespan Brain Study. Participants rated their daily busyness with a
questionnaire. Sample questions included, "How often do you have too many
things to do each day to actually get them all done?" and "How often
do you have so many things to do that you go to bed later than your regular
bedtime?"
Each question was answered on a 5-point scale, with higher
scores indicating greater busyness. The participants also underwent tests to
gauge memory, information processing speed, reasoning, and vocabulary. Those
with average busyness scores of 4 to 5 had better cognitive function scores
than those with busyness numbers closer to 1 or 2. The greatest effect from
busyness was with episodic memory, which is the memory of past events like
times and places.
While the study did not explore the underlying mechanisms
at play between busyness and cognitive function, and the results were limited
by self-reporting, the researchers noted the two appear to be linked. "It
is possible that people with higher mental function lead busier lives, but
staying busy and active may be a proxy for mental stimulation, which leads to
intellectual growth," says lead researcher Dr. Sara Festini of the
University of Texas, Dallas.
Article courtesy of Harvard health publications ©2016
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