There are limitations to the autobiographies, for instance, since the nuns knew a mother superior would see their writing and therefore may not have been totally candid. Still, Dr. Snowdon hopes his study will encourage people to do things to ward off the disease, like quit smoking and other stroke-causing behaviors, and read to children to stimulate language development. His current project involves analyzing old photographs of nuns for personality clues in their face muscles to see if personality correlates to Alzheimer's or longevity. And, although he cannot prove it scientifically, he contends the nuns' spirituality and community living helps them too. But that love of other people, that caring, how good they are to each other and patient, that's something all of us can do.
Several nuns agree.
But the science is dictated by providence anyway.