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If you're convinced  that your boss is a certifiable idiot, think again.

Bosses may be unpredictable, difficult and demanding, but, according to recent research, their brains last longer than  those of the people they manage.

A US study looked at people suffering from Alzheimer's disease (which entails a gradual loss of memory and mental function and usually strikes   after the age of 60) and others who weren't, and  compared   their job histories.

They found that the more complex your interactions - in other words, how complicated your dealings and responsibilities  - the less likely you were to get Alzheimer's disease.

A Swedish study published in the Journal of Geronotolgy  found something similar. It seems that  your work in early life may affect your chances of having a healthy brain in later life.

The Swedish study looked at more than 10,000 sets of twins aged 65 and older and compared the jobs they'd had with their risk of getting Alzheimer's. The reason  researchers used twins is that both start with the same genetic material.  If one twin suffers a disease  and the other doesn't, then it may be caused by  differences in their lifestyles.

In the Swedish study, there were 55 cases in which only one of the twins had  Alzheimer's.

When researchers took into account the people's previous professions, they found that   those who analysed complex data for a living - mathematicians, researchers, scientists, analysts and the like - had a lower risk  of Alzheimer's.

But if you  don't run an office or a company, don't worry. There are other  jobs and activities that appear to help protect against the onset of Alzheimer's.

People who had to deal with customers or negotiate sales  were also less likely to develop  the disease. To cope with customers' demands and to persuade people to buy things  requires  mental flexibility.

The  Swedish study -  and earlier research - suggests that keeping your brain well exercised stops it developing the tangles that cause Alzheimer's disease.

For instance, some studies have found that people who  play bridge or mahjong or do crosswords are less likely to get Alzheimer's. One study even found that knitting helps keep minds elastic.

There are plenty of other things that help, too. Keeping your  brain's blood vessels clean by   cutting back on fats and cholesterol, not smoking and keeping  salt levels down give   you a head start. If blood can't flow freely through  brain tissue, rubbish accumulates and parts  of the brain miss out on oxygen and nutrients.

An hour's exercise, such as a  brisk walk or  tai chi,  is a  good way to get oxygen circulating around your brain. It also helps  clear your mind of small details and to think through problems effectively.

All of which seems to suggest that,  when it comes to your brain, it's a matter of use it or lose it.



Use it or lose it