Studies have demonstrated that engaging in both physical and mental activities can prevent dementia and maintain cognitive function. According to a recent study, these advantages can differ for men and women.

The research has been published online in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The study examined the impact of physical and mental activities on cognitive reserve in the domains of thinking speed and memory, such as reading, attending classes, playing cards, or playing games.

Cognitive reserve is the protective mechanism that keeps people's mental faculties sharp even when their brains exhibit the underlying abnormalities linked to dementia and cognitive impairment. The author of the study Judy Pa, PhD, of the University of California, San Diego, stated that she and her team discovered that higher levels of physical activity were linked to higher levels of thinking speed reserve in women but not in men.

More mental activity was linked to increased reserves of thinking speed in both men and women. Both men and women who were more physically active did not have greater memory reserves.