Active intellectual activity contributes to the preservation of the density of the white matter of the brain Are details of American scientists, presented at the annual conference of the North American radiological society, reports.

Specialists from rush University in Chicago has shown a link between the status of the white matter of the human brain and intellectual activity in old age.

The study involved the participation of 152 people at the age of 81 years, with none of them suffered from memory disorders or absent mindedness. The researchers suggested subjects to rate on a scale of 1 to 5, how often they were tied for the last year of intellectual activity.

Then this brain participants regularly scanned using the diffuse spectral imaging during the year. The main task of scientists was the assessment of the direction and intensity of the movement of intracellular water molecules, as well as mapping the permeability of the white matter of the brain.

After analyzing the results, the researchers concluded that anisotropism or selective permeability of the white matter of the brain above a large extent the people intellectually active.

"The reading of books and magazines, going to the theater, writing letters, visits to libraries, the fascination with the game of chess or poker can delay the aging brain, preventing the extinction of the myelin sheath of axons," said Constantinos Orphanages, head of research and researcher Institute of Technology (Chicago, USA).

Anisotropic neurons white matter, as a rule, suffer from the injury and illness, as well as naturally gradually decreases with aging brain, which, according to doctors, begins after about 30 years.