Middle-aged people who have preserved a quick reaction can expect to live a longer life than those who have a slow reaction. That is the conclusion reached by scientists from the University of California in the United States.
They found that the risk of premature death in middle-aged people with slow reaction is 25% higher than in those with an average reaction. A quick response increases the chances for a long life. As scientists have discovered, the reaction time can demonstrate the condition of the nervous system and show the overall health condition.
Reaction time, as commonly believed, is a basic aspect of the central nervous system, and speed of information processing is regarded as human basic cognitive ability, according to the study’s author Dr. Gareth Hagger-Johnson. Observations show that a simple test to measure an adult’s reaction time can help predict life expectancy, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Reaction time may reflect how well our central nervous system and other body systems work. Slow people may have health problems that increase the risk of premature death in the future.
Researchers believe that in the future doctors will be able to use reaction time for health examination and predicting survival. In order to live longer, people should lead a healthy lifestyle, the researchers stress.
