![]() ![]() “It is the process of learning new information that is most important for the brain. And the better the quality of the brain exercise the more effective the result is likely to be.” Emer MacSweeney, the chief executive officer and consultant neuroradiologist at Re:Cognition Health, told Healthline, “The more the brain is exercised the better it will be able to function. “Computer games may also have stimulated a broader range of cognitive functions which may possibly not have been captured as well with their primary outcome measures,” said Panos.ĭr. She noted, for example, that crossword puzzles have been around for longer than most other specifically-designed cognitive games, so it’s possible that participants were simply more familiar with crossword puzzles to begin with. Stella Panos, PhD, a neuropsychologist and director of neuropsychology for the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in California, told Healthline, “While this was a surprising finding when I read it (and to the authors themselves as they noted), there may be other reasons for this.” Why crossword puzzles may have performed betterĭoes this mean crossword puzzles are definitely better than other games at preventing cognitive decline? This part of the brain is involved in long-term memory storage.Īt the end of the study’s 78 weeks, the researchers reported that the participants who played crossword puzzles didn’t experience as much decline in cognitive or functional ability as those who played other games.Īdditionally, the MRI scans revealed less brain shrinkage for the group that played crossword puzzles. They also underwent functional MRI scans to measure their hippocampal volume. Participants were assessed for cognitive impairment and functional ability. ![]() Participants were then split randomly into two groups: those who would play crosswords (56) and those who would play other cognitive games (51).īoth groups completed their tasks electronically after receiving 12 weeks of training, with additional training sessions up to a year and a half later. Of note, all participants were required to be English speakers due to the nature of crossword puzzles and other word games. In this study, researchers recruited 107 participants (45 male, 62 female) between the ages of 55 and 95 years (average age of 71) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). To find out, researchers from Columbia University in New York and Duke University in North Carolina collaborated on a study, published recently in the journal NEJM Evidence. ![]() ![]() Some 5.6 million Americans aged 65 and over have some form of dementia, which includes Alzheimer’s disease.ĭementia often affects not only the individuals experiencing its symptoms but also the people closest to them, causing a significant societal impact.Īnything that can be done to slow the progression of cognitive impairment is welcome news.Ī “brain game” industry has developed over the past two decades, with web-based and app-based programs providing a variety of cognitively stimulating puzzles.īut how do these types of games stack up against a classic: the crossword puzzle? Experts say the familiarity with crosswords as well as their more challenging cognitive demands may be factors.Ībout 1 in 9 adults in the United States reports experiencing worsening symptoms of confusion or memory loss associated with cognitive decline.In a new study, crossword puzzles were more effective than other “brain games” after a year and a half.For people with mild cognitive impairment, stimulating mental tasks can slow the symptoms of cognitive decline.There is both an online version that you can try and a printable version that you can print and do the traditional way or use as a worksheet.Share on Pinterest Experts say crossword puzzles tend to require more cognitive effort than other games. History and Social Studies Puzzles US HistoryĬlick on a subject to try the crossword puzzle. ![]()
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