Engaging in a hobby like reading a book, making a patchwork quilt or even playing computer games can delay the onset of dementia a US study suggests.Watching TV but does not count-and indeed spending significant periods of time in front of the box may speed up with memory loss, researchers found.(1)____(2)____ Nearly 200 people aged 70 to 89 with mild memory problems were compared to a group who had no impairment.(3)____ The researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota asked the volunteers about their daily activities within the past year and how mental active they had been between the age of 50 to 65.(4)____ Those who had during middle age busy reading, playing games or engaging in craft hobbies like patch working or knitting was found to have a 40% reduced risk of memory impairment.(5)____(6)____ In later life, those same activities reduced the risk by between 30 and 50%. Those who watched TV for less than 7 hours a day were als0 50% more likely to develop memory loss than those who spent longer than thatstaring at the screen.(7)____
"This s study is exciting because it demonstrates that age does not need to be a passive process," said study author and neuroscientist Dr Yonas Geda.(9)____ "By simply engaging in cognitive exercise,you can protect against future memory loss.Of course, the challenge with this type of research is what we are relying on past memories of the participants, therefore we need to conform these findings with additional research."(9)____(10)____