In regard to Alzheimer’s disease, not much can be done if a child already carries genes that promote its development. “In theory, however, playing chess could delay or halt its process, and improve a person’s quality of life. There are no current studies that I am aware of that link chess and Alzheimer’s disease, no one can predict if the disease halts or delays its process”.
If such a study were to be valid, it should be conducted over several years with people who’d played chess during their childhood or youth, in order to determine if during their adulthood, they were likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Or if during their latter years they’d played chess, and we’d compare the results with those who hadn’t played and eventually developed the disease.
“It’d be an interesting study. However, it’d be difficult to test if chess is the only variable that can delay the appearance or reverse the process of Alzheimer’s disease”.
In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer, impairment is inevitable and irreversible. It is worth mentioning that a faster progression is not the same as a slow progression, and the latter could greatly improve the quality of life of many during longer periods of time.
Alzheimer’s disease depends on numerous factors, but it is mainly idiopathic. Therefore, according to Guevara Guzmán, the mentioned study must focus on every variable that influences the emergence of the disease.
As it is known, 10% of cases are genetically inherited while 90% rise from various causes, such as: brain injury, neuron damaging viruses or lack f blood circulation in the brain.