A SINGAPORE study showing how activities that require meticulous thinking and planning are the most effective in lowering dementia risk has pipped nearly 100 other entries to win a prestigious international award.

Researchers from the National University of Singapore received the second prize on Sunday evening from the International Psychogeriatric Association, which honours research in the psychology of ageing.

Two studies on depression in the elderly from the University of Pittsburgh in the United States and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden clinched the first and third prizes respectively. The awards were handed out during a conference in Osaka, Japan.

After interviewing 1,635 Chinese people aged 55 and above, researchers here found that those who regularly took part in 'productive' activities such as reading, cooking, shopping or community work were more effective in remaining mentally alert than those who indulged in physical or social forms of recreation.

Physical activities the researchers considered included jogging, walking and taiji. Visiting temples or churches, playing cards, going to the cinema and taking part in activities at a senior citizens' club were considered social activities.

Productive work typically requires more 'thinking and planning' and makes more demands on the brain cells, said Professor Kua Ee Heok, one of the study's authors. 'This mental stimulation causes the brain cells to grow,' said Prof Kua, who heads the university's department of psychological medicine.

Cognitive decline, he explained, occurs when brain cells fall into disuse and eventually die.

The research comes at a time when ageing societies are facing a dementia epidemic, with someone being diagnosed with the disease globally every seven seconds.

Prof Kua's colleague Associate Professor Ng Tze Pin, the lead researcher, said that a significant aspect of their study was it 'directly compared the relative and combined effects' of different types of activities on cognitive decline.

Previous studies have tended to measure the relationship between dementia and a specific type of activity, said Prof Ng.

The study was conducted in two phases. First, interviewers asked respondents how often they took part in a list of 16 productive, physical and social activities common among older folk here.

The respondents were then put through tests to measure their 'cognitive functioning', including memory and concentration.

About 18 months later, the researchers returned to repeat the tests to measure their cognitive abilities.

The results showed that those who performed at least one 'productive' activity a week had the lowest risk of cognitive decline compared to those who took part in a social or physical activity at least once a week.

However, Prof Kua underscored the fact that any type of activity was still better than none at all.

Echoing his words was chairman of the Council for Third Age, Mr Gerard Ee, who is campaigning for people to lead a more active lifestyle as they age.

'Physical, social and intellectual activities are all equally important for those who want to stay active, alert and healthy,' said Mr Ee.

radhab@sph.com.sg