Board Games May Stave Off Cognitive Decline

A study by University of Edinburgh researchers in the Journals of Gerontology examined how board games could fortify defenses against cognitive decline in older people, reports Medical News Today . The authors studied 1,091 participants born in 1936, whose mental and cognitive capacities were assessed over a long period. Participants' cognitive function was first evaluated when they were 11, with follow-ups at 70, 73, 76, and 79 years old using 14 standardized cognitive tests. People who played more games, especially analog games, in their 70s were more likely to maintain healthy cognitive function in their older years. These subjects experienced less relative cognitive decline from the age of 11 until 70, and less cognitive decline from 70 to 79. "These latest findings add to evidence that being more engaged in activities during the life course might be associated with better thinking skills in later life," notes Edinburgh's Drew Altschul. He also believes it is possible to interpret the results as a motivator to start playing games to ward off cognitive decline. "It would be good to find out if some of these games are more potent than others," adds Edinburgh Professor Ian Deary.