Welcome to Dementia Jersey’s Big Brain Challenge!

Keep Connected.

We know that keeping socially connected to other people has a significant benefit for brain health. However, the reason for this link isn’t yet completely clear, but researchers have put forward some theories. 

One possibility is that early symptoms of the diseases that cause dementia may prevent people from being socially active. We know that diseases like Alzheimer’s begin to cause changes to the brain years before symptoms like memory loss start to show, and this can cause very subtle changes in behaviour early on. Social isolation might be a result of such symptoms, rather than a cause. 

Another leading theory is that spending time with other people can help us stay mentally active. We’ve probably all experienced this at one time or another: a stimulating conversation with someone we like is not only a fun way to spend time, it gets our cogs whirring too. And keeping our brains active can help build ‘cognitive reserve’ – a type of resilience that helps the brain withstand damage for longer in the face of diseases like Alzheimer’s.  

What we can conclude, is that keeping connected helps maintain good brain health for longer.