Working in a mentally stimulating job can protect people against dementia, a new study has found.
Working
Those who have demanding careers are a third less likely to suffer age-related memory loss and less damaging proteins in the brain linked to the disease, scientists have discovered.
The study looked at more than 107,000 people from a range of occupations with participants asked how mentally stimulating they found their job before being tracked for 17 years.
On average, people who found their work boring developed dementia a year and a half earlier than those who had demanding careers.
Dr. Sara Imarisio, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "Not everyone is able to choose the type of work they do, but studies like this highlight the importance of finding activities that help keep the brain active.
"So whether it's a stimulating job, reading or learning a language, finding something you enjoy is key."