Will Stimulating My Brain as I Age Keep It Sharp?

When Jennifer O’Brien, a psychologist who studies Alzheimer’s disease prevention at the University of South Florida, gives public lectures, she says she’s frequently asked if activities like crossword puzzles or word games will stave off age-related cognitive decline. “It’s the No. 1 question,” she said.

“There’s this very pervasive, common belief that if I do these types of games, it’s going to help me as I age.” The truth, she and other experts said, is more complicated. The science on whether specific brain activities are helpful, or if some are more effective than others, is limited and hard to evaluate, and other aspects of your life may be more important.



But certain kinds of brain activities could, potentially, strengthen your cognitive skills as you age. What the Science Suggests Very little research has been done on whether a specific brain stimulating activity, like a puzzle or a word game on its own, can affect memory loss. And the studies we do have are difficult to interpret.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

If you are in Reader mode please exit and your Times account, or for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? .

Want all of The Times? ..