What activity has been shown to prevent dementia in a new study? Hint: It is one width and nine letters.
In a recent study, doing a crossword puzzle at least twice a week was found to dramatically slow cognitive decline in older Americans compared to those who did it less frequently.
Other “mentally stimulating” activities, such as reading a book, playing Sudoku or journaling, also appeared to protect against decline.
It is thought that these activities can help form new brain cells and stimulate the connections in the brain responsible for memory.
Researchers in Mississippi, Texas and Illinois found that older Americans who engaged in “mentally stimulating” activities more than twice a week had a lower risk of cognitive decline than those who did so less frequently (file image)
Researchers in three states followed nearly 6,000 adults over age 50 for nearly a decade and divided them into groups based on how often they participated in “cognitive simulation” activities.
Although all participants suffered memory decline with age, those who regularly picked up a book or a puzzle had consistently better memory and slower rates of cognitive decline over an eight-year period.
This reduced their risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which can lead to dementia in up to nine out of 10 patients.
Dementia affects more than 7 million Americans a year, along with almost 1 million Britons. And around 10 million Americans and one in five Britons over the age of 65 are diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.
Dr. Jungjoo Lee, lead author of the study and assistant professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, said PsyPost The findings indicate that ‘the cognitive care program needs a comprehensive design that includes physical activities, cognitively stimulating activities, and community engagements.
“Balanced therapeutic strategies that incorporate all of these healthy behaviors will increase cognitive health benefits rather than focusing on just one area.”
The study, published earlier this year in the Cognitive Enhancement Magazinefollowed 5,932 adults recruited into the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a database of older Americans, from 2012 to 2020.
The participants ranged in age from 50 to 109, with an average age of 68.
The team measured cognitive function by looking at memory, working memory and attention, and processing speed.
Working memory is the length of time a person can retain temporary information, such as remembering an address while receiving instructions.
Attention and processing speed measure how quickly the brain assimilates information, such as letters, while reading a book.
The researchers measured these factors based on how quickly they could remember words, basic math skills, and tasks like counting backwards.
Participants were then divided into groups based on how often they performed tasks such as crossword puzzles or reading a book.
Although all participants experienced memory impairments, those who completed these activities more than twice a week “consistently had greater working memory and attention than groups who participated less in the activities,” Dr. Lee said.
It’s unclear exactly why these activities slowed cognitive decline, but experts believe they may help stimulate brain cell growth and strengthen connections between brain cells responsible for memory.
The research had several limitations, the main one being that the researchers did not take into account other factors that could have caused the cognitive decline, such as other health problems, medication use, and unforeseen events such as accidents.
Additionally, there was a significant age range among the participants: the youngest was only 50 years old and the oldest was 109. As the risk of cognitive decline increases with age, this could have led to bias.
Dr. Lee said, “More research is needed to control for internal and external confounding factors that affect healthy behaviors and individual cognitive functions.”