Researchers in Sweden have found strong links between dementia in ageing and exposure to risk factors throughout life.As the average age of the population in many countries increases, so does the occurence of dementia.A team a the Karolinska Institute,discoverd that the risk of developing dementia is partly determined by genetics and that actively participating in mental, physical and social activites can delay the onset of dementia.

 

The research leader, Fratiglioni said, 'The brain, just as other parts of the body, requires stimulation and exercise in order to continue to function. Elderly people with an active life - mentally, physically and socially - run a lower risk of developing dementia, and it doesn't matter what the particular activities are.'

Researchers also found that high or low blood pressure, diabetes and obesity in middle-age also enhance the risk of dementia in older age; 'What is good for the heart is good for the brain'.