University education stimulates brain, finds research

UK researchers have found that the brain is more stimulated when a person goes to university or takes up a leadership role at their workplace.

They believe that this can make people less prone to brain-related illnesses, such as dementia.  

Brain activity

The study involved 2,000 mentally healthy adults over 65 years of age, and examined the theory that people who have intellectually stimulating experiences in their early and mid-life tend to be more resilient mentally.

The researchers found that such individuals also tend to have more cognitive reserve, which means that they stay mentally healthy for a longer period of time.

Professor Linda Clare, one of the lead researchers, stated that losing mental capabilities with age was not a foregone conclusion.

Mental health

She added that it was important for people to understand why and how mental decline occurs so that they can prevent it.

As university education stimulates and challenges the brain, researchers believe that it is one of the activities that could make people more resilient to age-related mental decline.