2023-10-06 14:16:04
October 06, 2023
You’ve probably seen your grandparents do crosswords and other arrow words found in the newspaper. If these activities seem outdated, know that they maintain memory, to the point of reducing dementia.
A square grid of white and black boxes. Simple descriptions for each horizontal row and vertical column. The goal ? Complete the crossword puzzle. Example: Author of sad pieces in 10 letters? Playwright. Or even Olfactory path in 6 letters? Nostril. This pastime with an old-fashioned reputation might be much more than just a hobby. Several studies have in fact shown its benefit in maintaining memory.
In 2011, a study published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society showed that regular practice of crosswords might slow down the decline of memory by more than two years in people already suffering from mild cognitive impairment.
More recent work carried out in 2022, published in the journal New England Journal of Medicine Evidence allowed an American team to confirm these benefits. Researchers from Columbia and Duke universities recruited 107 participants already suffering from mild, more or less advanced cognitive impairment. Divided into two groups, some had to do crosswords on the computer, while the others played digital cognitive stimulation games, such as memory or spatial recognition games. The crosswords were of average level, equivalent to those found in the newspaper The New York Times.
An easy, at-home tool
As a result, crosswords proved to be more effective than other exercises. What scientists have measured using various memory assessment tests. And this, particularly in people with more advanced cognitive impairment. Brain shrinkage, measured by MRI, was less among participants in the crossword group.
“These findings are important as we continue to look for ways to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.”, underline the authors. And even if “Crosswords obviously cannot constitute a treatment in themselves, they might become an easy tool to apply at home for people subject to mild cognitive impairment”, they conclude. And from now on, and whatever your age, try a little grid! You will find them in most daily newspapers.
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Source : New England Journal of Medicine Evidence – Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society
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Written by : Dominique Salomon – Edited by: Emmanuel Ducreuzet
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