The more mentally challenging your job is, the lower the chances of experiencing memory and cognitive issues in the future, according to a recent study published in the April 17, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. It’s important to note that this study does not establish a cause-and-effect relationship between stimulating work and preventing mild cognitive impairment, but rather shows a connection.
The study found that engaging in cognitively stimulating work at different stages of life, such as in your 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, was associated with a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment after the age of 70,” said Dr. Trine Holt Edwin of Oslo University Hospital in Norway. The study, which examined 7,000 people and 305 different occupations in Norway, suggests that having a job that requires more complex thinking may help to maintain memory and cognitive function in old age. However, it’s important to note that the study only shows a correlation and does not prove causation.
Researchers studied the level of mental engagement that workers faced in their roles. They assessed the levels of routine manual, routine cognitive, non-routine analytical, and non-routine interpersonal tasks, all of which require different skills and abilities.
Tasks that are routine and manual require quickness, mastery of equipment, and often consist of repetitive movements, which are typical in factory settings. Routine cognitive tasks require precision and accuracy in repetitive duties, such as those found in bookkeeping and filing.
Non-routine analytical tasks involve activities that require analyzing information, utilizing creative thinking, and interpreting data.The researchers categorized individuals into four groups depending on the level of cognitive stimulation they encounter in their occupation. The group with the most cognitive demands included teaching as the most common job, while mail carriers and custodians were the most common jobs for the group with the least cognitive demands. Non-routine interpersonal tasks involve creating and sustaining personal connections, inspiring others, and coaching, while non-routine cognitive jobs consist of public relations and computer programming. After reaching 70 years old, participants underwent memory and cognitive assessments.Researchers studied individuals to determine if they had mild cognitive impairment. They found that 42% of those with low cognitive demands were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, while 27% of those with high cognitive demands received the same diagnosis. Even after adjusting for age, sex, education, income, and lifestyle, the group with the lowest cognitive demands had a 66% higher risk of mild cognitive impairment compared to the group with the highest cognitive demands. This suggests that both education and engaging in mentally stimulating work throughout one’s career are essential in reducing the risk of cognitive impairment.Edwin stated that there is a need for more research to identify which specific mentally challenging tasks in the workplace can help maintain cognitive skills. One limitation of the study was that individuals with the same job title may have different tasks and cognitive demands. The study is funded by the National Institutes of Health.
