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Scientists have discovered the best types of activities to lower your risk of Alzheimer's by nearly 40%.

Research has outlined how certain activities that keep the brain active through lifelong learning, and can prevent cognitive decline. US experts examined data for 1,939 people with an average age of 80 who did not have dementia at the start of the study and then tracked their thinking skills for eight years.

When focusing on participants’ childhoods, researchers looked at whether people had access to encyclopaedias, globes or atlases and books. They also recorded whether they were read to or learned a language and if parents bought newspapers.

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For mid-life the study looked at income level as well as whether whether people had reading material or were a member of a library. It also recorded whether people took part in activities such as visiting museums. Late-life enrichment activities from around the age of 80 included reading, writing and playing games.

After adjusting for factors such as age, sex and education, the study found that people in the top 10% of “lifetime cognitive enrichment” had a 38% lower risk of Alzheimer's and a 36% lower risk of mild cognitive impairment compared to those in the bottom 10%.

People with the highest amount of lifelong learning developed Alzheimer's disease five years later and developed mild cognitive impairment seven years later than those with the lowest.

Author Dr Andrea Zammit, from Rush University Medical Centre in Chicago, said: "Our findings suggest that cognitive health in later life is strongly influenced by lifelong exposure to intellectually stimulating environments." There are currently around one million people in the UK living with dementia, with Alzheimer’s being the most common form.

During the study period some 551 people developed Alzheimer's disease and 719 developed mild cognitive impairment. Of those with the highest level of enrichment, 21% developed Alzheimer's whereas those with the lowest saw 34% developed the disease.

People with the highest lifetime enrichment developed Alzheimer's disease at an average age of 94, compared to age 88 for those with the lowest level. For mild cognitive impairment, people with the highest lifetime enrichment developed mild cognitive impairment at an average age of 85, compared to age 78 for those with the lowest level.

Dr Isolde Radford, senior policy manager at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: "This new research shows that staying mentally active throughout life can cut the risk of Alzheimer's disease by nearly 40%. It also highlights that dementia is not an inevitable part of aging and that our cognitive health is shaped throughout our lives.

"Yet only a third of UK adults realise they can reduce their risk of dementia, meaning millions of people are missing opportunities to protect their brain health.

"Prevention matters, and the Government must lead a bold, joined-up approach to protecting the nation's brain health - from tackling air pollution, to making healthy food affordable and prioritising early-years education. These big changes are essential to make sure everyone, particularly those in disadvantaged communities, benefits from good brain health."

The study was published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.