Sitting At A Desk All Day Raises Dementia Risk

Scientists have warned that sitting at a desk all day, only to go home and sit on the couch to watch a few hours of television is bad for your health. A new study warns that it could also be bad for your brain. Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) found that people who spend hours a day sitting a desk have thinner brain structures than those who live a more active lifestyle. 

The small study found that people who sat at a desk all day had a thinner medial temporal lobe, which is the part of the brain where new memories are formed. The scientists warned that the thinning of the lobe is an early warning sign of cognitive decline and dementia in adults.

While the study was very small and limited, the scientists are working on a more conclusive study to determine if the link between being sedentary and having a thinner medial temporal lobe is casual. 

Although the study found no significant correlations between physical activity levels and thickness of the medial temporal lobe, the researchers said in the statement that "reducing sedentary behavior may be a possible target for interventions designed to improve brain health in people at risk for Alzheimer's disease."

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