Computer Use Combined With Exercise May Protect Memory

Time magazine flags some interesting health news for those of us who spend our days in front of a computer screen: A new study suggests that using a computer may help stave off memory loss in old age.

The catch? When you're not at your desk, you need to be doing some moderate exercise, like hiking or tennis.

That was the conclusion of Mayo Clinic researchers who took a look at the relative cognitive health of subjects between the ages of 70 and 93. The study suggests that those who reported using a computer and frequently engaging in moderate exercise were significantly less likely to experience age-related memory loss than those who only did one or the other or neither.

While the researchers have not identified why the computer-exercise combo yields those results, they speculate that the healthy effects of exercise coupled with the neurological stimulation of using a computer most likely work together to boost mental fitness.

"The mental stimulation may be polishing the communication lines and giving good connections between neurons," lead researcher Dr. Yonas Geda told the magazine. "It’s like working in a concert. When the two processes come together, it works like a symphony."

You can check out the full study in the May 2012 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, and read more over at Time's Heathland blog.