A Newspaper Headline Reads, "Are Intellectual Pursuits the Key to Preventing

A newspaper headline reads, "Are intellectual pursuits the key to preventing Alzheimer's disease?" The researchers scanned the brains of healthy seniors with no memory loss and asked the seniors to recall how much reading, writing, and game-playing they did in childhood. Those who reported doing daily brain activities from a young age had low levels of amyloid plaques, which are associated with Alzheimer's disease. Which of the following best describes this study's findings?

A) Intellectual pursuits and presence of amyloid plaque are positively correlated.
B) Amyloid plaques are the main cause of Alzheimer's disease.
C) Intellectual pursuits prevent Alzheimer's disease.
D) A negative correlation is found between intellectual pursuits and the presence of amyloid plaques.