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: BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog

Better than ginkgo biloba!

BoardBuzz was intrigued by a new study (which we read about in USA Today) which indicates that education may be the key to keeping your memory. The study notes that, "Memory problems, including Alzheimer's, appeared less common in people 70 and older in 2002, compared with seniors nearly a decade earlier," which may be a result of education. "Seniors who took the test in 2002 had an average of 12 years of formal schooling, a year more than those took the test in 1993." If that doesn't make you want to hit the books, we don't know what will. What's more, "In addition, the 2002 seniors were wealthier as a group, a sign they may have worked at more intellectually demanding jobs. People who keep their brain agile with formal schooling or a challenging job seem to build a more resilient brain ? one that might offer a shield against Alzheimer's later on, [the study's author, Kenneth] Langa says." Despite this promising news, there's still a downside.

Langa and other experts such as William Thies of the Alzheimer's Association say the USA can still expect a massive upturn in Alzheimer's cases. Sheer numbers of baby boomers will fuel the increase from 5 million today to an estimated 11 to 16 million by 2050. The obesity epidemic might make those numbers even worse, says Robert Butler, CEO of the International Longevity Center USA in New York. Overweight adults and children often suffer from Type 2 diabetes and clogged arteries, and those health problems almost certainly will add to an increased risk of Alzheimer's in old age.

All the more reason for schools to invest in high quality school health programs and rigorous curriculum. For more information on school health, click here and for more information on high quality education, visit the Center for Public Education here.

Full post as published by BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog on February 21, 2008 (boomark / email).