Taxi drivers and ambulance drivers have the lowest rates of deaths attributed to Alzheimer’s disease, a recent analysis of US death certificates revealed.
Researchers led by Dr. Anupam Jena from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital found that only 1.03% of taxi drivers and 0.74% of ambulance drivers died from Alzheimer’s disease, compared to 3.88% of the general population.
The study, which analyzed data from nearly 9 million people who had died with occupational information, suggested that the cognitive demands of these jobs may be protective against Alzheimer’s disease. The hippocampus, a brain region used for creating cognitive spatial maps, is associated with accelerated hippocampal atrophy in Alzheimer’s disease.
Taxi drivers and ambulance drivers often require frequent spatial and navigational processing, which may lead to changes in their brains that protect them from Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers noted that other types of dementia did not show the same relationship as Alzheimer’s disease.
The study was observational and did not establish causality, but it highlights the possibility that certain occupations may affect the risk of death from Alzheimer’s disease. The findings suggest that cognitive activities may be potentially preventive.
It is worth noting that the study’s results should be interpreted with caution, as people at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease may be less likely to become taxi or ambulance drivers. Additionally, death certificates may underestimate the number of deaths caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
Source: https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/alzheimersdisease/113419