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Sep 30, 2024 · Rewiring Your Brain: Sudoku and Neuroplasticity. Here’s where things get really exciting. Every time you tackle a Sudoku puzzle, you’re not just solving a game – you’re physically changing your brain. This process, known as neuroplasticity, is your brain’s ability to form new neural connections and reorganize itself.
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New research finds that solving puzzles may help you stay “sharp.”
A new study adds more evidence that puzzles can be effective for brain health.
The verdict is still out, however, on how they can help us in the long-term or if they can help prevent cognitive decline.
According to a recent study published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, the more people over 50 engage in games such as sudoku and crosswords, the better their brains function.
Researchers looked at data from about 19,100 participants in the PROTECT study to see how often they performed word and number puzzles. Then they used a series of tests to gauge attention, memory, and reasoning.
In short, the more people engaged in puzzles, the better they performed on tests.
Dr. Jerri D. Edwards, a professor from the University of South Florida in Tampa who studies brain games and cognition, said that because the study is correlational — not randomized — it doesn’t mean that playing games causes better cognition.
“It is likely that people who have better cognition like these activities and tend to engage in them,” she told Healthline.
“Also, people without cognitive decline engage in these activities, but when they experience cognitive decline they are likely to quit doing so because they become frustrating or challenging,” she said.
She noted research that found cognitive engagement in old age can be a buffer from decline. She also cited research that found that poorer cognitive function can cause a reduction in lifestyle including social activities.
According to a large randomized clinical trial, computerized cognitive training targeting speed of processing was better at protecting against decline over time among older adults compared to crossword puzzles, Edwards noted.
“Given that verbal abilities tend to improve with age, we tend to get better at word-related games in normal aging,” Edwards said. “On the other hand, some cognitive skills that tend to decline with age are mental quickness, divided attention, ignoring distraction, and shifting our attention. It is important to challenge our brains with these types of tasks with age.”
A key concept in both normal brain aging and dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) is that our ability to function is a balance of brain pathology and the brain’s cognitive strength, explained Dr. Gayatri Devi, a neurologist specializing in memory disorders at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
“When the pathology is overwhelming, which happens in aggressive dementias, no amount of brain strength can help slow progression,” she said.
“Thankfully, most kinds of dementia and Alzheimer’s are slowly progressive, and we can shore up our brain’s strength or cognitive reserve to either delay onset of dementia or to prevent it altogether.”
Using crossword puzzles and other mental exercises to strengthen our brain networks is one way to strengthen the brain, as is physical exercise.
“The trick is to keep the brain challenged and engaged as we get older,” Devi said.
You don’t have to be a puzzle fanatic to boost your brain, though, you can also learn a new language or take up a new hobby.
According a recent study, the more people over age 50 engage in games such as sudoku and crosswords, the better their brains function.
However, experts clarified that because the study is correlational, not randomized, it doesn’t mean that playing games causes better cognition.
Aug 12, 2022 · This puzzle, like any game of logic, is a workout for your brain. Healthline reported in May of 2019 on a cross-sectional study showing participants who engaged in games like sudoku and crosswords ...
- Anna Kaufman
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- When you play Sudoku, you keep your brain working better and for longer. Do you know you can improve your mental health by exercising different parts of your brain?
- People who regularly engage in playing Sudoku may be able to delay mental decline. Coupled with logic games, crossword puzzles, and other similar games, Sudoku players stretch their minds through deductive reasoning and other cognitive skills.
- Critical thinking will help you improve your concentration span. Sudoku is one of those puzzles that make you think. As you focus on where to place the numbers, your concentration is enhanced.
- Playing a timed version of Sudoku can help develop your memory. Once you get the knack for playing the game, you remember the strategies you used to solve the puzzle.
Jan 23, 2024 · Sudoku puzzles are an excellent way to exercise and enhance cognitive skills. When you engage in solving these mind-bending puzzles, you are required to think critically, analyze patterns, and make logical deductions. This mental workout stimulates the brain’s neural pathways and strengthens its ability to process information efficiently.
Active brain – As we have understood by now, Sudoku helps you exercise your brain. Due to this, you can expect an improvement in your cognitive functions. It stimulates your brain in a way that develops your problem-solving skills and develops the functioning speed of your brain. A 2019 study has proven that people over 50 can better their ...
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Feb 12, 2024 · 1. Cognitive Skills Enhancement. Sudoku is a powerful tool for enhancing various cognitive skills. Engaging with Sudoku puzzles stimulates the brain, improving logical thinking and problem-solving skills. As players navigate through the puzzles, they develop a deeper understanding of pattern recognition and forward planning.
