Use it or lose it! Cognitive activity as a protec-tive factor for cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

foreword Today, over 46 million people live with dementia worldwide, more than the population of Spain. This number is estimated to increase to 131.5 million by 2050.Dementia also has a huge economic impact. Today, the total estimated worldwide cost of dementia is US $818 billion, and it will become a trillion dollar disease by 2018. This means that if dementia care were a country, it would be the world's 18th largest economy, more than the market values of companies such as Apple (US$ 742 billion), Google (US$ 368 billion) and Exxon (US$ 357 billion).In many parts of the world, there is a growing awareness of dementia, but across the globe it remains the case that a diagnosis of dementia can bring with it stigma and social isolation. Today, we estimate that 94% of people living with dementia in low and middle income countries are cared for at home. These are regions where health and care systems often provide limited or no support to people living with dementia or to their families.The 2015 World Alzheimer Report updates data on the prevalence, incidence, cost and trends of dementia worldwide. It also estimates how these numbers will increase in the future, leaving us with no doubt that dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and other causes, is one of the biggest global public health and social care challenges facing people today and in the future.The two organisations we lead are ADI, the only worldwide federation of Alzheimer associations and global voice on dementia, and Bupa, a purpose-driven global health and care company that is the leading international provider of specialist dementia care, caring for around 60,000 people living with dementia each year. Together, we are committed to ensuring that dementia becomes an international health priority. We believe national dementia plans are the first step towards ensuring all countries are equipped to enable people to live well with dementia, and help to reduce the risk of dementia for future generations. There is now a growing list of countries which have such provision in place or which are developing national dementia plans, but it's not enough.Given the epidemic scale of dementia, with no known cure on the horizon, and with a global ageing population, we're calling on governments and every part of society to play an active role in helping to create a world where people can enjoy a better quality of life today, and also help reduce the risk of dementia for future generations. It is our belief that this report will help sustain the momentum of recent global collaboration, mobilising governments, policy makers, health care professionals, researchers, Alzheimer associations, and businesses, to work together on a solution for the global challenge of dementia.Providing a better quality of life for people with dementia can be a reality, but only if governments and societies make it an urgent priority. We're committed to making this happen. Glenn Rees Chairman Alzheimer's Disease International Stuart Fletcher CEO BupaThe Global ImpacT of DemenTIa alzheImer's DIs...

Supporting foot interaction of reaction time training system

“…The finding shows that our proposed training method has improved the SRT of the participant, that is, the participants took less time to complete the test task after training. The results of this study are similar to those of previous studies, and the possible explanation lies in the fact that, from the perspective of biological evolution, cognitive function has the particularity of “use it or lose it”, and the more cognitive stimulation there is, the more beneficial it will be for individuals to maintain cognitive function 46 . On the other hand, for different targets, our system gives participants different audiovisual feedback, which, together with its unique foot interaction, arouses participants' subjective interest and reduces the negative impact of loneliness on cognitive function 47 .…”

“…The results of this study are similar to those of previous studies, and the possible explanation lies in the fact that, from the perspective of biological evolution, cognitive function has the particularity of "use it or lose it", and the more cognitive stimulation there is, the more beneficial it will be for individuals to maintain cognitive function. 46 On the other hand, for different targets, our system gives participants different audiovisual feedback, which, together with its unique foot interaction, arouses participants' subjective interest and reduces the negative impact of loneliness on cognitive function. 47 The current system triggers a variety of cognitive processes to respond by purposefully providing external stimuli to the subjects.…”

Pharmacists’ Knowledge of Factors Associated with Dementia: The A-to-Z Dementia Knowledge List

“…In this respect, it has been suggested that a behavioural intervention by means of collaborative care, enhanced patient-health professional interactions, and social support promotes self-efficacy and, consequently, improves patient adherence [22]. Therefore, supporting patients during the implementation of a healthier lifestyle makes them involved in the decision process and helps them to take responsibility for their health [18].…”

“…Among other entities, the Lancet Commission, Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), and the World Health Organization (WHO) have published different risk and protective factors related to dementia [3,15]. Nevertheless, in recent years, variables such as subjective memory complaints (SMCs), the use of some medications, patient knowledge of risk factors, internet usage, and certain infections are also gaining importance [16][17][18]. Therefore, it is vital to detect weaknesses in professional healthcare knowledge and to enhance a lifelong learning among these professionals, especially emphasising the lesserknown aspects of the pathology.…”

Do Effort and Reward at Work Predict Changes in Cognitive Function? First Longitudinal Results from the Representative German Socio-Economic Panel

“…As there is still no aetiology-specific treatment available [ 3 , 4 ], knowledge on amenable risk factors is of utmost importance for effective primary prevention [ 5 ]. Besides cardiovascular risk factors related to behavior (e.g., smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity in mid-life) and associated chronic conditions (e.g., hypertension and diabetes), education, and cognitive activities have been identified as promising entry points for primary prevention of dementia across adulthood [ 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 ].…”