Doing things that keep the mind active may beat vegetating by the TV for middle aged and older people as a way to keep their minds sharp in old age.

Mayo Clinic researcher Yonas Geda examined data on about 1,300 randomly selected people aged 70 to 89 who lived in Rochester, Minnesota. Data were collected on intellectually stimulating activities within the past year and between age 50 and 65.

Geda was looking for signs of mild cognitive impairment – when thinking and memory are a bit off what they should be.

According to Geda, "Activities such as social activities, reading books, seem to be beneficial. They are associated with a decreased risk of mild cognitive impairment."

The study presented at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

SOURCE:  Dept. of Health & Human Services