Jobs linked to Alzheimer's risk
[10 August 2004 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] People who developed Alzheimer's disease tended to hold jobs with lower mental demands during their 30s, 40s and 50s than people who did not get the disease, according to new research. The study is the latest in a growing body of research suggesting that higher levels of education as well as mentally stimulating activities may offer some protection against a disorder that now affects 4.5 million Americans, a number that is expected to grow dramatically in the coming decades. ... "Not everybody can be an astrophysicist," said lead author Kathleen Smyth, a researcher at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. "(But) you want to keep your mind active. Some people call it novelty seeking . . . things that get you thinking in a different way." ...