Research appearing in the March, 2005 issue of the journal Cell shows that mice kept in a stimulating environment were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than mice kept in an environment that is not stimulation. Mice that had access to toys, running wheels, tunnels and other activities to keep mind and body active had a lower instance of the protein plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The mice in the study were genetically predisposed to developing the protein plaques in the brain that characterizes Alzheimer’s disease. Mice that were physically and mentally active had less of a tendency to develop the disease. Perhaps there is a lesson here for humans.