Crack open a book and hop on a stationary bike to ward off memory loss.

Thecombination of moderate physical exercise and computer use may helpreduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment later in life, Mayo Clinicresearchers found.

Individually, the effects of moderate exerciseand computer use prove to significantly reduce the risk of mildcognitive impairment, according to the study.

But Yonas Geda, aneuropsychiatrist at the Mayo Clinic, said, The combined effects arebetter than the arithmetic sum of the individual effects.

Mildcognitive impairment is the intermediate stage between normal cognitiveaging and dementia, he said. He gave the example of people losing theirkeys on occasion, which would be considered a normal occurrence.Forgetting about a flight or another important event, however, may besigns of mild cognitive impairment and early stages of Alzheimersdisease, he said.

Normal cognitive aging involves the brainfunction to remain intact, while a decrease in processing speed in thebrain occurs, said Dr. Diana Kerwin in the Division of Geriatrics atNorthwestern University. In the absence of cognitive diseases, it isexpected that people take longer to do their taxes or balance theircheckbooks, she said.

People in the study who engaged in anyamount of moderate exercise were 36 percent less likely to have mildcognitive impairment than people who did not exercise.

Those whoparticipated in any amount of computer use were 44 percent less likelyto have mild cognitive impairment than people who did not use thecomputer.

The joint effect of moderate exercise and computer usecauses synergistic interaction, explains Geda, which is greater thanif each exercise were performed independently.

Exercise can helpdelay or prevent the onset of cognitive decline, said Kerwin, who alsois affiliated with the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimers DisorderCenter in the Neurobehavioral Clinic at Northwestern University.Exercise can also maintain healthy blood vessels and glucose levels andlower blood pressure, she said.

The 926 participants, ages 70 to90, were evaluated in a case-control study, which meant acause-and-effect relationship could not be drawn from the data, Gedasaid.

Since there is not a cause-and-effect relationship, thereis a possibility that people who engage in physical and mental exerciseare less likely to show memory loss or that a person with memory loss isless likely to perform mental and physical activities.

We knowas far as successful aging, one of the best activities is to remainengaged, Kerwin said, whether it be social, cognitive, physicalexercise, or a combination.

Geda recommended craft activities,such as knitting and quilting, social activities and any other moderatephysical exercise to reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment.

Kerwinsuggested that people participate in activities that are cognitivelychallenging, but also activities that they are interested in. If peopleenjoy the activity, it increases the likelihood that theyll do it,she said.

Barbara Wijnicki, a 73-year-old Chicago resident, keepsactive by taking yoga and dance classes, walking regularly and readingbooks.

I always have a book to read and I think it may behelping me with my mental capactity, she said. I believe that justbeing active and being with other people is good for the brain and themental part.