Job Complexity May Protect Cognitive Skills

Being employed in a job that requires greater mental engagement may exert a protective effect on memory and thinking skills as we age. Alan J. Gow, from Heriot-Watt University (Scotland), and colleagues analyzed data collected on 1,066 Scottish men and women, average age 70 years, who were assessed for memory, processing speed and general thinking ability. Researchers also gathered information about the jobs participants held – noting the complexity of work with people, data and things.  Data analysis revealed that the subjects  who held jobs with higher levels of complexity with data and people, such as management and teaching, had better scores on memory and thinking tests. The results remained the same after considering IQ at age 11, years of education and the lack of resources in the environment the person lived in.  The study authors submit that their “findings are supportive of the differential preservation hypotheses that more stimulating environments preserve cognitive ability in later life.”