A new study published in the British Medical Journal has revealed that deaths from Alzheimer’s disease are significantly lower among taxi and ambulance drivers, who frequently engage in processing spatial and navigational information. The findings suggest that these professions may offer a protective effect against Alzheimer’s, a progressive age-related condition that impairs memory, thinking, and daily functioning.
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital analyzed death data from the US National Vital Statistics System, covering adults across 443 different occupations. Out of nearly nine million individuals with available occupational data, approximately four percent had Alzheimer’s disease listed as a cause of death.
The study found that among 16,658 taxi drivers, only about one percent (171 individuals) died from Alzheimer’s. Similarly, just 0.74 percent (10 of 1,348) of ambulance drivers succumbed to the condition. Compared to the general population and other occupations, taxi and ambulance drivers had the lowest rates of Alzheimer’s-related deaths, highlighting a potential link between spatial tasks and reduced risk of this neurodegenerative disease.
This trend was not observed in other transport-related jobs, such as bus drivers or aircraft pilots, possibly due to their reliance on pre-determined routes, the authors noted.
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that mainly affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most common cause of dementia, a condition that is characterized by a decline in cognitive abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease gradually destroys brain cells, leading to significant impairments in memory, reasoning, and the ability to perform routine tasks. It often strikes elderly individuals, symptoms developing most often after age 65, though some cases have occurred earlier.
The exact cause of Alzheimer’s is not fully understood, but it is believed to result from a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
Early signs of Alzheimer’s include forgetting recent events, difficulty solving problems, and confusion about time or place. As the disease progresses, individuals may experience severe memory loss, personality changes, and difficulty speaking or recognizing loved ones. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, staying socially active, and engaging in mentally stimulating activities may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.
