Group of mature friends walking on the beach, Brain Health Quiz on socializing. (UpperCut Images/Alamy)

Quiz: Boost Your Brain Health by Socializing

Test yourself about the cognitive benefits of a strong social network

Margery D. Rosen

En español

Published July 12, 2013

9 Questions

7e655a44-927c-42c8-9b08-8faca9718ff4

Quiz: Boost Your Brain Health by Socializing

[ {
 "question" : "You can't do much to stave off cognitive decline if you have a family history of dementia.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "&quot;Lifestyle almost always trumps genetics,&quot; says Harvard neurologist Rudolph Tanzi. Research shows that your daily choices about what you eat, how much you exercise and sleep, and whom you spend time with are key to keeping your mind and body healthy.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "Having a circle of friends helps keep your brain fit.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "&quot;Feeling socially isolated can be as toxic to healthy brains and bodies as smoking — doubling your risk of early death,&quot; says Laura L. Carstensen, director of Stanford University's Longevity Center. What can you do now if you're feeling isolated and alone? Joining a club, volunteering for a social cause or political campaign, or simply inviting people over for a potluck brunch is an excellent way to develop a stronger social network and boost brain health.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "Staying socially active may keep dementia at bay, but it doesn't help once symptoms of mild cognitive impairment surface.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Research from Rush University Alzheimer's Disease Center found that social engagement helps stave off dementia.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "You don't need lots of friends to stay connected.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "&quot;A few close relationships — with friends or family — is just fine,&quot; says Carstensen. &quot;It's not the number but rather the richness and depth of relationships that counts.&quot;\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "Your social world inevitably shrinks after you retire.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "It doesn't have to — and you should make sure yours doesn't. Experts say &quot;use it or lose it&quot; applies as much to your brain as it does to your biceps.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "Senior centers aren't designed for people who are still active.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Today, most senior centers are more like social clubs, with free or inexpensive classes, activities, day trips to museums, concerts and sporting events. Some offer transportation. To find a center near you, make a few phone calls or Google senior services in your neighborhood.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "People who regularly engage in social activities are less vulnerable to depression.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Keeping socially connected dials down stress. This lowers levels of stress hormones, which can wreak havoc on your brain cells.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "Facebook? Please — I'm not in college anymore. There's little there for me.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Social media sites offer the chance to reconnect with old friends and reinforce ties to new ones. Terrified of technology? Recruit a grandchild or young neighbor to show you how to navigate online. Or, check out our very own Online Community at community.aarp.org or websites like SeniorNet.com, a national nonprofit that offers workshops on the basics of computer use and Internet safety.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "Retiring early strengthens brain health by providing a much-needed break.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "People who rush to exit the workforce generally aren't doing themselves any favors. Ideally, before you say your good-byes, you should have a Plan A, B and C for keeping busy and engaged. If you're moderately healthy, think about working part time or giving back to the community in some way. Anything that energizes, motivates and gives meaning to your life staves off cognitive decline and boosts immune system functioning. Experience Corps, for example, which is sponsored in part by AARP, trains older people to tutor kids in 20 cities across the country. (Contact them at experiencecorps.org; 202-434-6400.) Encore.org offers a road map to paid as well as volunteer opportunities such as teaching business skills to low-income people or planting community gardens. (Find them at encore.org; 415-430-0141.) Senior Corps is a government organization that connects older people with local and national organizations in need of volunteers. (Find out more at nationalservice.gov/programs/senior-corps.)\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

Quiz Progress

0 Correct

0 Incorrect