AnewstudyhasfailedtofindanyconclusiveevidencethatlifestylechangescanpreventcognitivedeclineinolderadultsCognitivedeclineisthelossofabilitytolearnnewskills,orrecallwords,names,andfacesthatismostcommonasweage.Toreduceoravoidit,researchershaveexaminedtheeffectofsmoking,diet,brain-challenginggames,exerciseandotherstrategies.ResearchersatDukeUniversitysiftedthroughmorethan160publishedstudiesandfoundanabsenceofstrongevidencethatanyoftheseapproachescanmakeabigdifference."IntheobservationalstudieswefoundthatsomeoftheBvitamins,likefolicacid,werebeneficial."saidco-authorJamesBurke,whohelpeddesignthestudy."Exercise,diet,cognitivestimulationshowedsomepositiveeffects,althoughtheevidencewasnotsostrongthatwecouldactuallyconsiderthesefirmlyestablished."Somepreviousstudieshavesuggestedthatchallengingyourbrainwithmentallystimulatingactivitiesmighthelp.Burkesaidthatactuallydoesseemtohelp,basedonrandomizedstudies-theresearcher'sgoldstandard."Cognitivestimulationisoneoftheareaswherewedidfindsomebenefit.Theexacttypeofstimulationthatanindividualusesisnotasimportantasbeingintellectuallyengaged,"Burkesaid.Theexpertreviewalsofoundinsufficientevidencetorecommendanydrugsordietarysupplementsthatcouldpreventorslowcognitivedecline.However,giventhatthereisatleastsomeevidenceforpositiveeffectsfromsomeoftheselifestylechanges,plusotherbenefitsapparentlyunrelatedtocognitivedecline,Burkeofferedsomerecommendations."Ithinkthatbyhavingpeopleadoptahealthylifestyle,bothfromamedicalstandpointaswellasnutritionalandcognitivestimulationstandpoint,thatwecanreducetheincidenceofcognitivedecline,whichwillbeproofthatthesefactorsare,infact,important."JamesBurkeofDukeUniversityisoneoftheauthorsofastudyreviewingpreviousresearchoncognitivedecline.ThepaperispublishedonlinebytheAnnalsofInternalMedicine.
