Studies Suggest Poker Can Prevent Alzheimer's

According to a new study, a number of brain stimulating activities can go a long way towards helping reduce the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease. While many other studies have shown similar results, one of the activities that has a dramatic effect on the Alzheimer’s rate may surprise you – the game of poker.

According to a 2009 study conducted in France, elderly men and women who played card games twice a week showed a 50% reduction in the rate of all forms of dementia compared to those who did not participate in mentally stimulating activities.

These revelations came in part thanks to the work of Dr. Jeffrey Cummings, one of the world’s top Alzheimer’s researchers. According to Cummings, the biggest danger to adults at risk for developing Alzheimer’s or dementia is a sedentary lifestyle that lacks mentally challenging activities. Since many people view retirement as the time to sit around and relax, this only increases the rate of Alzheimer’s among the elderly.

"We have a social idea of what retirement consists of and we need to re-examine that idea," Cummings said. He added that it may actually be healthier, mentally, for those at the retirement age to continue working for a few more years if they’re physically up to the job. Indeed, a British study from 2009 suggested that every additional year of work past retirement age set off the onset of Alzheimer’s disease by about seven weeks.

“Use it or lose it,” said Dr. John Powell, co-author of the study in question.

Luckily, some of our favorite activities can count as “using it,” including playing poker. Playing online or in person is a great way to keep your brain working and help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. Other popular activities that can help include playing board games like chess, or physical activities with a creative component, like dancing.

As of 2006, 26.6 million people worldwide were afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. By 2050, it is predicted that 1 in 85 people worldwide will have the disease, which is marked by confusion, long-term memory loss, and other symptoms of dementia.