Having children could make women more intelligent and lower their risk of developing dementia in later life, say researchers from the University of Richmond. Experiments on rats revealed that those who raise two or more litters of pups did significantly better in memory and skill tests than rats that remained childless. Tests on the animals’ brains also revealed that the brains of the rats that had babies showed changes suggesting that they may be protected against the memory-robbing disease Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. Study leader Professor Craig Kinsley, said: “Our research shows that the hormones of pregnancy are protecting the brain, including estrogen, which we know has many neuroprotective effects.” He believes that his research will also be true for humans as rats and humans undergo similar hormonal changes during pregnancy.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 7th November 2002
