Thinking and moving tasks surpass crossword puzzles at brain health
Dementia can be brewing in the background for years before the telltale signs of memory lapses and difficulties with wayfinding creep into people's daily lives or are detected through memory tests, but endless crossword puzzles or sudoku are unlikely to make a meaningful difference.
Recent brain health studies have revealed that activities requiring both thinking and physical movement may be more effective than crossword puzzles in maintaining cognitive function and aiding recovery from concussions. Lauren Sergio, a researcher at York University's Sensorimotor Neuroscience Laboratory, emphasizes that traditional brain games alone are insufficient for preventing dementia or aiding concussion recovery.
Instead, combining cognitive tasks with movement appears to unlock new neural pathways, enhancing brain resilience. Sergio's research forms the basis of a new brain performance platform developed by NERON AI, which offers users a battery of interactive challenges designed to improve daily functional abilities and detect early signs of cognitive decline.
The platform provides a quick, mobile-based assessment that can be completed in under ten minutes, making brain performance monitoring accessible to the public. Sergio notes that activities such as operating specialized machinery or engaging in new hobbies can stimulate brain regions to communicate more effectively, potentially mitigating the effects of aging or brain injuries.
She encourages individuals to challenge their brains in novel ways, such as learning a new instrument or playing sports that require fine motor skills and strategic thinking, as these activities may help preserve brain health and function.
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