According to a recent study from Columbia University and Duke University, crossword puzzles are better for memory in older adults with mild cognitive decline than computer games.
The study’s findings were published in the journal NEJM Evidence.
In a randomized, controlled trial, led by DP Devanand, MD, professor of psychiatry and neurology at Columbia, and Murali Doraiswamy, MD, professor of psychiatry and medicine at Duke, researchers determined that participants (mean age 71) trained to do web-based crossword puzzles showed greater cognitive improvement than those who did not. trained in cognitive video games.
ALSO READ: Tips for parents on fun activities to enhance children’s cognitive development
Dr. Devanand, who oversees brain aging and mental health Research at Columbia. “The results are important in light of the difficulty of showing improvement with interventions in mild cognitive impairment.”
Crossword puzzles are widely used but have not been systematically studied in mild cases of cognitive impairment, which is associated with a higher risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
To conduct their study, researchers at Columbia and Duke randomly assigned 107 participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at two different locations to crossword or crossword training. cognitive game with intensive training for 12 weeks, followed by reinforcement sessions for up to 78 weeks. Both interventions were delivered through a computerized platform with weekly compliance monitoring.
The most striking findings of the trial were:
Crosswords outperformed cognitive games on the primary cognitive outcome measure, ADAS-Cog, at both 12 weeks and 78 weeks. Crossword puzzles outperform on FAQ, a measure of daily activity, at 78 weeks.
Crossword puzzles were more effective for participants at a later stage of the disease, but both forms of training were equally effective at earlier stages.
Brain shrinkage (measured by MRI) was less for the crossword puzzle at week 78.
Dr Devanand said: “Benefits were seen not only in cognition but also in everyday activities with brain shrinkage on MRI suggesting that these effects are clinically significant.
The study also highlights the importance of participation. Based on remote electronic monitoring of computer use, participants with later disabilities were able to engage better with more familiar crossword puzzles than with cognitive computer games. count.
The trial’s two strengths were the 28% participation rate of individuals from racial and ethnic minorities and the low dropout rate (15%) for such a prolonged home trial. One limitation of the study was the absence of a control group with no cognitive training.
Although these results are encouraging, the authors emphasize the need for replication in a larger controlled trial with an inactive control group.
“The trinity of cognitive improvement, function and neuroprotection is the Holy Grail for the field,” said Dr. Doraiswamy. “Further research to scale up brain training as a home digital therapy to delay Alzheimer’s disease should be a priority in this area.”
This story has been published from the electronic agency’s feed with no modifications to the text. Only the title has been changed.
