Over time, it is not uncommon to observe a cognitive decline among the oldest. It’s about a “alteration of one or more cognitive functions, whatever the mechanism involved, its origin or its reversibility”, explains the High Authority of Health (HAS). It is characterized by the loss of Memory, speech or difficulty recognizing loved ones. This is one of the main causes of Autonomy loss. To reduce the risks, researchers around the world are working to understand the mechanisms and reflexes to adopt to preserve cognitive health. We can note the benefits of socialization or even the importance of balanced diet.
Researchers from the University of Calgary, Italy, questioned the effects of intellectual stimulation at work during working life. They noticed that people with the least intellectually stimulating jobs had a 66% higher risk of suffering from cognitive decline. Their results are published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The authors emphasize that this study does not prove that stimulating work prevents mild cognitive impairment, but only shows an association.
Cognitive decline: the group less intellectually stimulated at work had a 66% higher risk
To arrive at these conclusions, the researchers based themselves on a panel of 7,000 people living in Norway. In total, this represented 305 professions. Then, the experts studied the participants’ work habits according to their field of activity, which allowed them to measure the degree of cognitive stimulation linked to their professional environment.
Researchers have notably differentiated between manual tasks “requiring speed, control over equipment and often involving repetitive movements typical of factory work”cognitive tasks that “require precision and accuracy in repetitive tasks, such as accounting and filing.” The authors state that “the most common job for the group with the highest cognitive demands was teaching.”
To analyze the cognitive function of participants aged over 70, researchers asked participants to take a memory test. The aim was to assess whether they had mild cognitive impairment.
Being intellectually stimulated in the professional world could limit the risk of cognitive decline
The researchers then noticed that among the participants who had worked in a job requiring the lowest cognitive demands, 42% had a mild cognitive impairment, compared to 27% in the group of those who had a job requiring the highest cognitive demands. After taking into account certain factors such as age, education or lifestyle such as physical inactivity or smoking, the authors noted that people with a less demanding work routine in terms of cognitive demand had a 66% higher risk compared to the other group.
“We looked at the demands of various jobs and found that cognitive stimulation at work at different stages of life – in your 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s – was linked to a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment after work. age 70”, summarizes Professor Trine Holt Edwin, from Oslo University Hospital in Norway, in a press release.
While the authors call for further research, recognizing that their study has limitations, they believe that their “Results highlight the value of having a job that requires more complex thinking as a means of potentially maintaining memory and thinking in old age”.
Sources :
- Trajectories of Occupational Cognitive Demands and Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Later Life – Neurology
- Does using your brain more at work help ward off thinking, memory problems? – American Academy of Neurology (communiqué)
- Cognitive disorders and neurocognitive disorders – Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS)
