Study: Dementia Cannot Be Prevented by Sudoku or Crosswords

Researchers have found that doing Sudoku and crossword puzzles does not prevent dementia. There had been a long-standing belief that doing mental activities will protect people from mental dementia. This belief was supported by a study published in 2003. The study related a lower risk in dementia to doing mentally stimulating activities like reading and playing board games. This correlation led to the belief that puzzles such as Sudoku and crosswords can prevent dementia. However, a recent study found that this is not the case. Recently published in the British Medical Journal, the study was headed by Dr. Roger Staff at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and the University of Aberdeen. The research examined 498 people born in 1936 who participated in a group intelligence test at 11 years old. For the current study, the participants were already 64 years old, and their mental abilities were assessed up to five times over a 15-year period. Results showed that despite doing mental activities, the study’s participants still showed signs of gradual mental decline as they grew older. Although doing mental activities does not stop dementia, it does improve one’s mental abilities. According to the researchers, taking on challenging tasks like puzzles creates additional links among brain cells. These additional links support the brain and keep it functioning well even as some connections decline due to old age. Thus, while mental decline cannot be completely averted, it would take more time for people who regularly do mental exercises to experience a decline in their brain functions, such as memory and IQ.