The Impact of Reading on Cognitive Decline

Many people aged 50 and over may experience potential cognitive issues like dementia as they grow older. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that 6.7 million people have Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in the United States, which can rob people of their memories, personalities and abilities to live independent lives. While it may not be impossible to prevent all cognitive issues, there is reason to believe that reading could be an ally in cognitive care.

The American Academy of Neurology says that reading stimulates the brain and has been shown to slow down cognitive decline in older adults. Reading also may help slow down memory loss.

The powers of reading were noticed more than 10 years ago when a study from researchers at Emory University measured readers’ MRI scans as they read books. They found the deeper readers went into a story, the more areas of their brains were activated. This activity remained elevated for several days after participants finished their books. The more a person reads, the stronger complex networks in the brain become.

Additional evidence that reading can help the brain was noted by researchers in 2024 study. The study suggests that older people with mild cognitive impairment who engage in high levels of activities like reading, hobbies and word games have better memory, working memory, attention and processing speed than those who do not take part in such endeavors. Furthermore, a 2021 study published in Neurology found that high levels of cognitive activity, like reading and writing letters, can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease by five years among those aged 80 and over.

—MetroCreativeConnection