Latest news with #RobertH.Shmerling
Time of India
4 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Harvard study finds certain jobs could lower Alzheimer's Risk- Here's why
A new report from Harvard Health Publishing has found an interesting connection between some jobs and a lower risk of dying from Alzheimer's disease. Taxi and ambulance drivers, surprisingly, had the lowest rates of death from Alzheimer's disease. Experts think that the constant mental demands of these jobs may help keep the brain sharper for longer, as per a report by TOI. How does navigation protect the brain? Harvard Health Publishing says that some jobs may be good for brain health in ways you didn't expect, especially when it comes to Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Robert H. Shmerling looked at some research and found that taxi and ambulance drivers had a lot fewer deaths related to Alzheimer's than people in a lot of other jobs. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program ALSO READ: Donald Trump to host Kennedy Center honors — see the surprising list of this year's recipients One possibility is that these jobs keep your mind busy all the time. Drivers have to remember routes, plan trips on the fly, deal with changing traffic, and make quick decisions when they are under pressure. Researchers believe that this level of mental activity strengthens the hippocampus, as per a report by TOI. This is the part of the brain that controls memory and spatial awareness. Alzheimer's disease affects this area first. Live Events There have been studies before, like one on London taxi drivers, that show this part of the brain can get bigger when it has to deal with navigation problems over and over again. This "mental mapping" could help your brain stay sharp over time, which is something that Alzheimer's usually prevents, as per a report by TOI. Why aren't all jobs that require travel just as good? You might think that bus drivers, ship captains, and pilots would all want the same kind of brain protection, but the data shows that this isn't true. The study found that pilots and ship captains had some of the highest rates of death from Alzheimer's disease, at 2.34% and 2.12%, respectively, as per a report by TOI. The rate for taxi drivers was 0.91%, and the rate for ambulance drivers was 1.03%. This is much lower than the rate for chief executives, which was 1.82%. Experts say the difference is in how much people are working to solve problems. Pilots often get help from air traffic control and autopilot. Ship captains and bus drivers usually follow the same routes every day. Taxi and ambulance drivers, on the other hand, are always changing their destinations, dealing with problems that come up out of nowhere, and racing against the clock. This makes their jobs harder mentally, which could help keep their brains healthy. Can doing things every day help your brain the same way? Researchers believe that some of the brain-boosting effects can be used in daily life, even though most people don't drive taxis or ambulances for a living. It might be good for you to do hobbies that make you think about space and how to deal with new situations. Some examples are hiking in places you don't know, orienteering, geocaching, and using a map and compass, as per a report by TOI. The hippocampus may stay active by doing things like solving difficult jigsaw puzzles, working on a Rubik's Cube, or playing video games that require a lot of spatial thinking, like Tetris or Minecraft. Scientists say that these things are good for your brain, but they don't have enough proof to say that they lower the risk of Alzheimer's in the same way that professional driving does. What do you need to know about stopping Alzheimer's? This study doesn't show that driving a taxi or ambulance will keep you from getting Alzheimer's, but it does make a stronger case for keeping your brain busy. Harvard experts say that the best way to keep your brain healthy and safe from Alzheimer's and other types of dementia is to do mentally challenging things along with other things that are known to work, like getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, working out regularly, and having strong social ties, as per a report by TOI. FAQs Which jobs may reduce Alzheimer's risk? Taxi and ambulance driving jobs had significantly lower Alzheimer's-related death rates. How could these jobs protect the brain? Constant navigation and decision-making may help the hippocampus remain healthy.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Harvard expert reveals jobs that may protect you from Alzheimer's disease
A Harvard Health Publishing highlights a surprising link between certain occupations and a lower risk of dying from Alzheimer's disease (AD). According to research reviewed by Dr. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Robert H. Shmerling, taxi and ambulance drivers show markedly lower rates of AD-related deaths compared with many other professions. Scientists believe the mental demands of real-time navigation in these jobs may strengthen the hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory and spatial awareness, and one of the first areas affected by Alzheimer's. If confirmed, these findings could open new doors in understanding and preventing the disease. Ambulance and taxi driver jobs may protect against Alzheimer's Earlier studies on London taxi drivers revealed enlargement in specific areas of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for spatial memory. This region is particularly vulnerable to the damage caused by Alzheimer's. Researchers suspect that the constant mental mapping, route planning, and decision-making involved in taxi and ambulance driving help preserve hippocampal health. These jobs often require drivers to process incoming information instantly, adapt to changing traffic patterns, and find the most efficient routes in unfamiliar areas. Over time, this mental workout may strengthen neural connections in the brain, potentially slowing or preventing the deterioration associated with Alzheimer's disease. What the new study found The study examined data from nearly nine million death certificates, focusing on 443 occupations. After adjusting for the average age of death, the researchers discovered striking differences in Alzheimer's-related mortality rates. Alzheimer's accounted for just 0.91 percent of deaths among taxi drivers and 1.03 percent among ambulance drivers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This was more than 40 percent lower than the general population average and significantly lower than the 1.82 percent observed among chief executives. Pilots and ship captains had some of the highest rates, with 2.34 percent and 2.12 percent respectively. The findings suggest that the level of active navigation required in a job could be an important factor, although the benefit was not observed for other types of dementia. Why other navigation jobs are not equally protective While jobs like piloting an aircraft, captaining a ship, or driving a bus might seem similar in navigational demands, researchers explain that these roles often follow fixed routes or rely heavily on automated systems. Pilots can depend on autopilot and air traffic control, ship captains may navigate pre-determined sea routes, and bus drivers typically repeat the same path daily. As a result, the cognitive challenge is less intense and less varied compared to taxi and ambulance drivers, who must constantly adapt to new road conditions, passenger destinations, and emergency scenarios. This constant need for flexible problem-solving may be key to the observed brain benefits. Could everyday activities have the same effect? Experts believe it may be possible to gain similar brain benefits outside of professional driving. Activities that demand spatial reasoning and complex navigation skills could potentially help maintain hippocampal function. Examples include orienteering, geocaching, and hiking in unfamiliar terrain using a map and compass. Even indoor activities such as jigsaw puzzles, solving Rubik's Cubes, or playing spatially challenging video games like Tetris and Minecraft might provide cognitive stimulation. However, researchers caution that there is still no definitive proof that such activities reduce Alzheimer's risk in the same way these occupations appear to. Further studies will be needed to confirm whether these recreational tasks have long-term protective effects. The takeaway While this research does not conclusively prove that driving a taxi or ambulance prevents Alzheimer's disease, it adds weight to the theory that mentally challenging and spatially demanding activities can help protect brain health. Harvard experts recommend that people interested in lowering their Alzheimer's risk should combine mentally stimulating activities with other proven lifestyle measures. These include maintaining regular physical activity, eating a nutrient-rich diet, managing cardiovascular health, staying socially connected, and ensuring good sleep quality. Together, these strategies offer the best chance of reducing the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
