Dementia risk factor focus: Cognitive activity part 1

The June 2024 newsletter focuses on cognitive activity, which is a term we use for tasks and processes that use thinking, memory, learning or understanding. Click through to read more about this risk factor.

Dementia risk factor focus: Cognitive activity part 1

 The June 2024 newsletter focuses on cognitive activity, which is a term we use for tasks and processes that use thinking, memory, learning or understanding.

So far, we have seen promising results for risk associated with cognitive activity. As a group, 43.1% of ISLAND participants were flagged as being at high risk due to their levels of cognitive activity in 2019. This number has reduced to 21.5% in 2024, halving the proportion of people in the high-risk category over the course of the project. Well done to all of you for making this change!

The topic is particularly relevant this month. As mentioned above, you have been invited to participate in our thinking and memory tests, and ISLAND Campus is still open for people to commence study in July. In this newsletter we will investigate the use of more formal cognitive activities and their impact on brain health, delving into less formal activities next month.

What the research says

We know that education levels in early life have been flagged as a risk factor for dementia, but research is showing that sustained cognitive stimulation throughout life is also beneficial. It is thought that this may be due to cognitive activities building an increase in cognitive reserve and a resistance to age-related damage in the brain (1,2).

There is evidence to suggest that getting more cognitive stimulation at work lowers dementia risk. This is true no matter early-life education levels however the difference is most pronounced for those with high early-life education and high workplace cognitive stimulation (3).  

Education across the lifespan is also seen to be important. A recent Wicking Centre publication from the ISLAND Campus study found that later-life education has the potential to increase cognitive reserve and lower dementia risk (2). It is further evidence that learning new things and being challenged cognitively is good for our brains.

What can we do?

We should be aiming to engage daily in activities that stimulate our brains, no matter our age. Formal ways to do this include education and employment.

Education 


There are many ways you can participate in formal education. If a University level diploma is something you are interested in, ISLAND Campus is still open for eligible participants to study in Semester 2.

    There are also many other organisations offering education aimed at adults. You may consider learning through one of the methods listed below:


    • The University of the Third Age (U3A) offers online and in person courses in a variety of fields. Try searching for one in your local area or sign up to U3A online.
    • There are many free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on offer. Wicking Dementia Centre and the Menzies Institute have a number available in the field of health, however there are MOOCs available from around the world so you are sure to find one that suits your interests.
    • Tas Tafe are offering fee-free courses  in 2025, helping people upskill or retrain.
    • Adult education courses are available through Libraries Tasmania  and covers topics such as arts, fitness, computing, languages, lifestyle and DIY.


    Work

    As for work, you may already be in a job where you are consistently challenged. If not, you may consider taking on new projects or learning new skills while in the workplace. If you are retired, volunteering is always an option, and this often ticks the social interaction box too!

    You can express your interest and find opportunities that suit you through the Volunteering Tasmania website.

    Next month we will look at the research around some of the less formal ways you can potentially build cognitive reserve. We will also cover some tips on habit forming and lifelong learning.