Researchers from the University of Vienna, Austria, found no evidence that religious practices such as praying or attending services had a protective effect against cognitive decline in older adults. results published In Intelligence magazine.
The research used data from the large European Survey on Health, Aging and Pensions, conducted in 2004, 2007 and 2013. More than 30 thousand volunteers from 11 European countries and Israel participated in the competition. All participants were over 50 years old.
The subjects’ cognitive abilities were measured using a battery of tests. These tests assessed arithmetic (basic math skills), verbal fluency (the ability to name as many types of animals as possible in one minute), and memory (memorizing a list of words). To assess religious affiliation, participants were asked how often they prayed and participated in religious practices.
There was a small but consistent negative relationship between cognitive ability and religiosity. Individuals who practiced religious rituals and prayed often scored lower on cognitive tests assessing arithmetic, verbal fluency, and memory. These results suggest that religiosity does not protect against age-related cognitive decline. He also found that, in general, people’s cognitive abilities decline faster in countries with higher religious affiliation.
However, the study has some limitations. The age of the participants may have affected the results. It cannot be excluded that the positive effect on the brain will occur at later ages, for example after the age of 62.
existed before discovered Association between common intestinal infection and Alzheimer’s disease.