London (PTI): Want to stave off Alzheimer's? Continue working till 65 or beyond, for a new study says that postponing retirement could delay the onset of dementia.

Researchers from Cardiff University and King's College in London have carried out the study and found a crucial link between later retirement and the onset of Alzheimer's disease, 'The Times' reported.

According to the researchers, keeping the mind active for as long as possible can help to postpone mental decline.

"The intellectual stimulation that older people gain from the workplace may prevent a decline in mental abilities, thus keeping people above the threshold for dementia for longer," the study's co-author Simon Lovestone said.

The researchers came to the conclusion after analysing the retirement patterns of some 382 men, whom they identified as those with "probable" Alzheimer's disease.

Subsequently, they compared the retirement dates of the subjects and found that every extra year worked postponed the onset of dementia symptoms by nearly six weeks in those who worked till 65 or beyond.

And, in contrast to earlier studies, the researchers found that the quality or duration of the men's education or the type of work they did had no impact on the age of onset of the disease.