Washington: Reading and writing can preserve brains of older people and insure them against deterioration as they age, says a new study.
Konstantinos Arfanakis and colleagues from Rush University Medical Centre and Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, examined the effect of late-life cognitive activity on the brain's white matter, composed of nerve fibres, or axons, that transmit information through the brain.
Previous research, unlike that of Arfanakis, had linked late-life cognitive activity with better mental sharpness, according to a statement from Rush University and Illinois Institute.
"Reading the newspaper, writing letters, visiting a library, attending a play or playing games, such chess or checkers, are all simple activities that can contribute to a healthier brain," Arfanakis said.
