Researchers at Cambridge University in the UK presentation
Reading, reducing stress and strengthening brain connections
Good for children’s memory and academic achievement
A study found that reading everything from classical novels to comic books to newspapers and magazines is helpful for brain health and is also associated with lowering the risk of dementia in the elderly.
According to the British daily The Times on the 14th (local time), researchers at Cambridge University recently published a study in the international journal Psychological Medicine that “Regardless of what and how you read, reading has a positive effect on brain health, cognitive ability, and mental well-being.” The researchers comprehensively analyzed the results of existing clinical trials and surveys involving thousands of adults and children.
In particular, the association between reading and prevention of dementia was remarkable in the elderly. Older people who read books, newspapers, and magazines regularly have a 33% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those who do not. Reading was also associated with slowing the rate of cognitive decline in old age.
It also worked for adults. Reading was associated with reducing stress, increasing empathy and happiness, and reducing loneliness. The researchers explained that reading with others, such as reading groups, as well as reading alone, can be additionally helpful in reducing feelings of isolation by increasing social interaction.
For children, positive effects were confirmed in terms of brain development and academic achievement. Studies using brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have shown that reading may alter brain structure and enhance connections between different brain regions. In a study of children aged 7 to 11, the volume of gray matter in the brain increased in an 8-week reading program.
In a study that analyzed the data of 10,000 children, children who read early for pleasure had good memory, high school grades, and fewer mental health problems. Reading was not only related to literacy but also to math achievement. The researchers analyzed that reading and mathematics utilize common cognitive skills such as language skills, memory, and execution functions.
“Reading is a great way to protect brain health, develop important cognitive skills, and improve quality of life,” said Barbara Sahakian, a professor at the University of Cambridge who led the study. “It should be recommended from an early age, but it is not too late to start.”
The study comes amid growing concerns that children and adolescents around the world are losing their ability to read. According to a recent study of 760,000 students in 91 countries by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 15-year-old students’ reading skills have fallen to the lowest level of this century, and math and science achievements have also deteriorated.
