A study conducted by researchers from the University of Texas in the United States showed that regularly helping others, through volunteering or providing support to relatives, friends, and neighbors, may be associated with a slowdown in cognitive decline among people who are genetically more susceptible to Alzheimer's disease.
The scientific website Medical Xpress reported on Wednesday that the study included about 18,000 adults in the United States and followed their data over 22 years. Researchers found that people who started helping others and continued to do so recorded a slower decline in memory and cognitive abilities compared to those who did not participate in these activities, especially carriers of the APOE ε4 genetic variant associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's.
The study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, examined the relationship between helping others and cognitive changes among carriers of this genetic variant. It indicated that the potential association with slowed cognitive decline appeared among participants in organized volunteering, as well as among those who provided informal help to friends, neighbors, and relatives, even when engaging in these activities for less than four hours per week.
Researchers estimated that those at highest genetic risk who maintained helping others reached a certain level of cognitive decline after about two years compared to those who did not engage in these activities. Lead researcher Sai Huang Han explained that helping others is an accessible and low-cost behavior that may be associated with brain health benefits as people age. However, the study observed an association between these activities and slowed cognitive decline, without proving that they prevent Alzheimer's disease or definitively delay its onset, necessitating further research to understand the potential mechanisms of this relationship.
The findings highlight the importance of social participation and volunteering in supporting healthy aging, alongside attention to general health and medical follow-up, as research continues to understand factors that may contribute to limiting cognitive decline with age.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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