Gaby
A large new study confirms that challenging mental activities help keep the brain healthier as we age. The most accessible and popular activities people use are puzzles, crosswords, and reading books.
The study also identified an optimal weekly frequency for crosswords and other cognitive exercises that benefit an aging brain.
What the Researchers Found
A team from the University of Southern Mississippi, Texas A&M University, and Indiana University analyzed data from 5,932 people aged 50 and older over eight years. All participants had mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The study used survey data from the Health and Retirement Study project.
Depending on how frequently participants engaged in cognitively stimulating activities (CSLA) during their leisure time, the researchers placed them in one of three engagement levels: low, medium, or high. Activities included reading, writing, games (such as chess), crosswords, puzzles, and hobbies.
The researchers found that the group with a high level of engagement in CSLA showed the strongest cognitive performance across the study. Lead author Junghen Kim from Texas A&M University said the benefits in this group included improved memory, attention, and processing speed. Participants in this group also outperformed others on standard cognitive tests, Science Alert reported.
While cognitive decline occurred in all three groups, it progressed more slowly among those with a high level of engagement in CSLA. That suggests regular mentally stimulating activities can help slow brain aging, with the largest effects seen in people with mild cognitive impairment.
The researchers concluded that about three sessions per week is an optimal frequency for cognitive activities to maintain mental sharpness, although doing them more often produced additional benefits.
The team emphasized that positive lifestyle changes had a greater impact on cognitive function in older adults than medication.
Because mild cognitive impairment often precedes more serious conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, these findings could help identify ways to delay the onset of dementia. That matters as the global population ages and the number of older people with these conditions continues to rise.
The study’s findings were published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement.
Several previous studies have also linked mental challenges, such as puzzles, with protection against cognitive decline.
