Get out and about if you want to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, new research suggests.
Housebound seniors have nearly twice the rate of the mind-destroying illness, warns a report published in HealthDay.
And although the study is not conclusive, it makes sense, says Bryan James, who led the research, which was published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
"People who don't leave their home as much aren't engaging with their environment and meeting new people," said James. "They may not be using their minds as much."
James said it is possible the link between Alzheimer’s and being shut in could be the other way round — people developing the disease could stay in more than those who are not.
Researchers tracked 1,294 seniors, none of whom showed signs of the disease at the outset. After nearly four and a half years, 180 of the group had developed symptoms.
"People are interested in figuring out who's going to develop Alzheimer's and new ways to target more people likely to develop it," James said. "Maybe with the limited interventions we do have available, we can target them toward people who aren't leaving their homes."
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