Think hard, age sharp: How complex jobs fight dementia
The job you hold could play an important role in your brain health later in life — so choose wisely.
A growing number of studies and research show that jobs involving significant creativity and decision-making could lower your risk of getting Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia.
“Many studies suggest that, if people are working in complex jobs during their lifetime, they have a lower likelihood of developing dementia in later life,” Jinshil Hyun, assistant professor of neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, told The Washington Post.
More education leads to occupational complexity, lower dementia risk
Previous studies on the topic have hinted that additional education can lower the risk of memory-loss diseases, but new research suggests it’s actually the jobs people hold post-education that are lowering that risk.
Americans spend much of their lives working, typically forty hours a week, so it’s important to have a job that engages the human brain. Individuals who further their education see higher occupational complexity, lowering the risk of dementia, a recent study found.
Naaheed Mukadam, a professor of psychiatry at University College London who took part in the study, confirmed the findings to The Post.
“People who have more education tend to get into better-paid, more complex jobs,” Mukadam said. “Then, the benefits for their physical and cognitive health compound in that way.”
Other studies found that individuals with higher income have a lower risk of dementia, but researchers also associate those findings with more complex occupations.
The hypothesis for why
The growing hypothesis for why occupational complexity has such an impact on cognitive ability is rather simple: complex jobs build cognitive reserve, helping people resist cognitive decline and stay sharp for longer.
“The cognitive reserve hypothesis suggests that, if people are doing cognitively enriching activities, then their brain has a more efficient network,” Hyun said.
She noted that even if individuals have plaques in their brains, like what’s seen in Alzheimer’s patients, complex occupations can still have a positive impact.
“Even if they have a significant amount of pathology in their brain, they have other pathways so that different parts of the brain can still communicate with each other,” Hyun said.
Just keep learning
At the end of the day, the key is to keep challenging your brain. Whether you have a complex job, choose to pursue additional education, or simply take up new hobbies that force your brain to try something new.
Other studies have also found that volunteering, being social and engaging your brain after retirement all have a positive impact on cognitive ability.
“As we’re living longer, it’s important to preserve that brain function so we can continue to use our brains as long as possible,” Mukadam told The Post.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
