Is there a correlation for brain challenges (puzzles of all sorts) and brain health longevity?

[AngelaGT]

I know that exercise, diet, learning a foreign language, playing a musical instrument, close family and friends-socialization, meditation, new experiences, and a peaceful mind are huge in correlation for brain health longevity.  I am curious if their is also a strong significance with brain challenges-crossword puzzles, mystery solving, anagrams, acronyms, thinking fast games, etc.

Thank you.

[Catwoman]

I have read that there is a correlation, but unfortunately I don’t have any links for you.

[Harriet Vane]

No links, but with dementia galloping through my family it is something I have specifically read up on.

My understanding is that it (crossword puzzles and the like) is hotly debated. What makes sense to me is:

--Any time we use our brains to tackle something complex or challenging, especially with multiple steps, that's a good thing. 

--Equally true is that doing the SAME thing for a long time has decreasing effectiveness. Basically the brain wires itself efficiently to handle that task with less effort the longer you do it. 

--Conclusion: Do new things. Tackle them long enough to have to really figure them out and get to a complex level of activity within that niche. Do it if you love it for as long as you love it, but also tackle NEW things regularly.

 

--And also: Significant loss of ability to do those brain challenges can be a red flag for early dementia.

[wintermom]

Just start googling or searching  through Google scholar and you'll find a lot of very specific studies with different variables controlled, such as age, medical condition of subjects, duration of activity, type of activity,  country of the study, gender, and so on. It all depends on what you really want to know about. 

[Bootsie]

http://www.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Bridge_DementiaPrevention.pdf#:~:text=Scientific studies have shown that playing bridge has,Alzheimer and other forms of dementia. The complex

This is an article has some research on the cognitive benefits of games--particularly bridge.

[Selkie]

Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai recently discussed this topic on their Facebook page (Sherzai Brain Docs). They are codirectors of the Brain Health and Alzheimer's Prevention Program at Loma Linda University Medical Center, and coauthors of The Alzheimer's Solution.

This is what they said about brain puzzles:

We are often asked if word-games, puzzles or Sudoku are good for brain health. Our answer is always, yes, but you can do so much better by choosing activities that engage most of your cognitive domains (memory, executive function, visuospatial perception, attention and language), and emotionally engage you in meaningful moments. A game of Sudoku might improve your calculation to a certain extent, but if you, for example, learn how to play 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' by George Harrison on a guitar, you will involve all of your cognitive domains, AND engage emotionally. Playing the guitar is just an example - it could be singing, painting, dancing, playing cards with friends, managing a book club, volunteering, or learning a new language and using it in conversation. But it has to be complex and challenge you to some extent.