Sex link to older people's brain power, says study

Conclusion This study got widespread and enthusiastic coverage in the media, as many studies about sex do. But the findings are limited and it's difficult to draw conclusions from them. As the researchers point out, we already know that a healthy social life and staying physically active seem to help keep people's cognitive abilities sharper as they age. It's not a surprise that sexual activity, which has elements of both social and physical activity, is also linked to better cognitive function. But this small observational study only provides a snapshot in time of how sexual activity may link to brain function. We can't draw any firm conclusions about whether sexual activity keeps the brain functioning well, or whether people with better cognitive function are more likely to continue to have sex. The results of the study are quite limited. Although overall scores of cognitive function were better for people who reported having sex weekly, this seems to have been driven by only two of the five types of mental ability, and the relationships weren't consistent. And it's hard to explain how having sex monthly could give you worse spatial awareness than either having sex weekly or not at all, for example. While continued sexual activity may be pleasurable and generally healthy into older age, this study doesn't mean it's a panacea for keeping the brain sharp. If you're older and don't want to engage in sexual activity, the results of this study don't mean there's any reaso...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Mental health Older people Lifestyle/exercise Neurology Source Type: news