Steering Clear of Alzheimer's: Taxi and Ambulance Drivers' Brain Health Advantage

A study published in the British Medical Journal reveals that taxi and ambulance drivers exhibit the lowest Alzheimer's disease mortality rates. The researchers attribute this to frequent spatial and navigational processing in their jobs, which may protect against Alzheimer's, though further research is needed for conclusive results.

Deaths from Alzheimer's disease are notably lower among taxi and ambulance drivers compared to other occupations, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. The study suggests that frequent processing of spatial and navigational information in these professions may protect against Alzheimer's, an age-related condition that affects memory and cognitive functions.

Researchers, including those from Massachusetts General Hospital, analyzed data from nearly nine million adults, documenting that only four percent had Alzheimer's as a cause of death. Notably, taxi drivers and ambulance drivers presented the lowest death rates from Alzheimer's, with just 1% and 0.74% respectively, compared to their occupational counterparts.

Interestingly, this protective trend was not observed in other transport-related jobs like bus driver roles, potentially due to the nature of their pre-determined routes. The study highlights the critical role of the hippocampus in spatial tasks and suggests this might explain the lower Alzheimer's risk among these drivers. Cautiously, researchers call for further studies to ascertain if and how spatial cognitive tasks might influence Alzheimer's risk.

(With inputs from agencies.)