2024-04-18 09:54:17
People who work in jobs that require more brain use have been shown to have better memory and brain function in old age compared to those who do not.
Norwegian scientists investigated the correlation between work and brain use among 7,000 people working in 305 different occupations and published the results in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, on the 17th (local time).
According to the New York Post, Dr. Trine Holt Edwin of the University of Oslo, one of the study’s authors, said, “We looked at the (work) demands of different occupations and found that they were more effective during different stages of life (30s, 40s, 50s and 60s). We found that cognitive stimulation in the workplace was associated with a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment (pre-dementia) after age 70,” said a press release provided by the American Academy of Neurology.
Researchers measured people’s cognitive stimulation while doing more passive tasks, such as operating equipment or working in a factory. This was compared to the cognitive stimulation of people whose job it is to analyze information and interpret it so that others can understand it.
The occupation with the greatest cognitive stimulation was teaching, and the occupation with the lowest level of cognitive stimulation was janitor (building, etc.) or postal worker.
The researchers then tested the memory and cognitive abilities of participants over the age of 70.
The study found that people in the lowest cognitively demanding occupations had a 66% higher risk of developing mild cognitive impairment compared to those in the most cognitively demanding occupations.
Researchers drew the line that this cannot be generalized.
He pointed out that cognitive requirements vary from person to person and that even within the same occupation, there may be individual differences. He also said that this study only shows a correlation, not a cause.
“These results show that engaging in brain work during education and work both plays an important role in lowering the risk of cognitive impairment later in life,” Dr. Edwin explained.
“Further research is needed to pinpoint the specific cognitively challenging occupational tasks that are most helpful in maintaining thinking and memory skills,” he said.
Another study conducted in 2016 found that occupations such as managers, teachers, lawyers, social workers, engineers, physicists, doctors, dentists, and pharmacists are helpful in maintaining healthy brain function.
Additionally, a study published last year in the international academic journal The Lancet identified the five occupations with the highest risk of dementia for workers. This includes salespeople (retail and other), nursing assistants, farmers and ranchers.
Nursing and sales jobs “are often characterized by a lack of autonomy, long periods of standing, demanding work, strict working hours, stress, high risk of burnout, and sometimes uncomfortable working hours (such as holidays),” the researchers wrote.
Park Hae-sik, Donga.com reporter [email protected]
2024-04-18 09:54:17