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A middle-aged person who flops on the couch for several hours of television night after night actually might increase his risk of developing Alzheimer's, a new study says.
Activities that stimulate the mind or body may protect against Alzheimer's, studies have found. But the new report suggests that a passive approach to life might increase that risk.
The risk of Alzheimer's rose by 30% for each hour per day watched, says Robert Friedland at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Friedland presented the study last summer at the 9th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association.
''We don't think that television causes Alzheimer's,'' he says. ''We think that is a marker of an inactive lifestyle.'' People who watch a lot of TV probably do so at the expense of other hobbies or interests, he says.
TV might shut down the brain's natural curiosity and zest for learning, key attributes of activities that seem to offer an Alzheimer's shield, Friedland says.
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