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emmelaichyesterday at 3:36 AM8 repliesview on HN

What are some possibilities?

    1. Those with spatial reasoning are less likely to develop Alzheimers
    2. Ambo and Taxi drivers are less likely (for some reason) to develop Alzheimers AND their work leads them to develop good spatial reasoning.
Any others? One consideration is that those with jobs requiring long periods of concentration drink less. Among other things.

Replies

rapidaneurismyesterday at 6:00 AM

People with excess brain capacity are able to easily acquire spatial reasoning, and can (more) easily work/qualify for ambo and taxi jobs. Their excess brain capacity makes progressive brain damage more difficult to impact them before other causes of death.

heazikyesterday at 5:26 AM

- Drivers with early symptoms of Alzheimer’s struggled to remain effective and changed profession

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BobaFloutistyesterday at 3:52 PM

I'm sure that the study accounted for this, but some fun ones

1. Ambo and Taxi drivers are vastly more likely than the general population to die in a collision before Alzheimers gets to them. 2. Even if you control out collisions, driving an Ambo and Taxi requires enough more memory and cognitive functioning to survive that people with early Alzheimer symptoms are significantly more likely to die in a collision, meaning you've controlled out a good chunk of ALzheimer victims in the process.

tenthirtyamyesterday at 10:56 AM

Pure speculation here. Driving is a sedentary occupation which might increase the percentage of deaths attributable to a sedentary lifestyle, with consequent decrease for Alzheimers?

JoeAltmaieryesterday at 3:27 PM

Ambulance drivers were close to medical professionals and got good, early diagnosis and care.

Taxi drivers were exposed to a wide variety of people who they conversed with, became aware of Alzheimer's symptoms and treatments and sought help early.

Off the top of my head.

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rebewpyesterday at 11:22 AM

It's about hippocampal size, so people with a larger hippocampus are less likely to get alzheimers as it's a barrier, lots of studies scanning London cabbies brains and they have enlarged hippocampus - it's believed to give a barrier against alzheimers.

So spatial navigational ability is another risk factor/biomarker (along with blood pressure, smoking etc)

odysseusyesterday at 4:29 AM

Social interaction while spatially reasoning also helps. (Social + cognitive load)

pineauxyesterday at 8:36 AM

I haven't read the article, but what if:

The problems arrizing from alzheimers are so problematic, that the cabdrivers / ambulance drivers drive themselves to death before they enter the stats as alzheimers patients?

A bit like the famous bullet holes in planes from ww2