OfCesare Peccarisi
Those who have a degree but do a routine and unstimulating job protect themselves from Alzheimer's on a par with those who only have a middle school diploma or diploma but do a cognitively interesting job.
According to a study by Norwegian and American researchers directed by Trine Holt Edwin of the University of Oslo, just published in Neurology academic qualifications they only partially protect against the risk of dementia in later life Why the great defense of a creative mind is what you do from age 30 to 65.
An anti-dementia symbol
Those with a high level of education and creativity could become the symbol of those who will not develop dementia or MCI, an acronym for mild cognitive impairment that is, mild cognitive impairment, the so-called pathological forgetfulness which is sometimes the precursor to dementia.
Researchers from Oslo, Trondheim, New York and Philadelphia have verified that the cognitive skills acquired at school are matched by cognitively stimulating work activities that are later carried out in life. And the strength of this daily stimulation is felt even more in those with a low level of education. Those who have a degree but do a routine and unstimulating job protect themselves from dementia on a par with those who only have a middle school diploma. or the diploma but does a creative and stimulating work, such as goldsmiths or tailors.
How much does the routine nature of work have an impact?
To verify this, the researchers developed the RTI index, an acronym for routine task intensity indexi.e. an index of the routine nature of the work: the lower the RTI, the more the work is cognitively stimulating. Elementary and high school teachers have a low RTI, childcare workers and nurses have a medium-low RTI, and negotiations and other retailers have a medium-high RTI.
New professions
A novelty compared to previous studies is that this one did not rely on the obsolete Dictionary of US Occupational Titles, the so-called O*NET, which describes the jobs of blue collar workers, workers who perform manual tasks.
Today, in fact, it is necessary to take into account the modern automation of work where even the assembly line is no longer the routine work it once was, but requires new skills for artificial intelligence technologies, software, robotics, virtual reality, etc. Even the simple introduction of credit card payment required new digital skills from shopkeepers that stimulated them cognitively.
Automated work
By 2030 in Italy they will be 7 million jobs automated and this will benefit the cognitive decline of blue collar workers.
Too bad though, as the report indicates Forrester Job Forecast 2020-2040, in Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain, automation will cause 12 million jobs to disappear in the next few years. Unfortunately, among the factors to be calculated in the risk of dementia identified by the researchers of the Neurology study there is also paid employment, especially between the ages of 45 and 55 and retirement and pension allowance also count.
Psychological and organic factors
To this must be added the marital status (married, widowed, divorced or single), the loneliness or even just the feeling of being one or the free time available for recreational activities such as going to the cinema or the theatre.
Obviously there is no shortage of more exquisitely organic factors such asobesity, diabetes or hearing lossas well as unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking and little daily physical activity.
Anti-stress island
«We too have underlined the importance of many of these factors in the prevention of dementia in the recent One Brain One Health Manifesto which summarizes the Italian strategy for Brain Health 2023-2031 launched in parallel with the European Academy of Neurology and the WHO – says the president of the Italian Society of Neurology SIN, Alessandro Padovani, of the University of Brescia -. Regarding this study, which is also well conducted, I would add a concept of prevention through what could be defined asanti-stress island: it can be the family or if you are single a love relationship or even a place to peacefully spend the weekend or a small holiday, maintaining friendly relationships outside the routine of daily life or having a confidant, a friend to share with thoughts and worries or finally dedicate yourself to a cultural or volunteer activity.
«It is no coincidence that various studies indicate that throughout the world lIsolation causes 4 percent of dementia. It is proven that isolation leads to depression, but it also turns out that reducing the cortisolthe so-called stress hormone, reduces depression which is closely linked with dementia and Alzheimer's disease due to an increase in the two abnormal proteins that characterize this severe dementia, amyloid and tau. And this risk is greater in women.”
Living together with others in an interactive way can therefore be a good anti-dementia strategy and more. Various studies indicate that it also extends life.
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